Israeli President Begins Coalition Talks After Divisive Election

Israeli President Isaac Herzog begins consultations Wednesday to task a candidate with forming a new government after elections revealed deep political divisions, with neither outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his rivals securing a parliamentary majority. The process could take weeks or months and may end in failure, prompting new elections. Herzog will meet party leaders over two days, starting with smaller parties and concluding Thursday with the largest factions: Netanyahu's right-wing Likud, which won 53 seats, and Benny Gantz's National Camp party with 48 seats. Neither reached the 61-seat threshold needed to govern, though Gantz could potentially form a coalition with Arab parties that won a record 19 seats. Herzog, who has signaled openness to a national unity government, urged exploring all options to avoid another election. The chosen candidate will have 28 days, extendable by 14, to form a government. Netanyahu faces corruption charges and opposition blame for the October 2023 Hamas attack, while rivals have ruled out serving under him.