Jerusalem:Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained his position that he should lead a unity government following his Likud party's success in last month's parliamentary election. This statement comes after President Isaac Herzog gave opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot the mandate to form the next government.

According to Anadolu Agency, Netanyahu emphasized the necessity of a unity government, describing it as the "need of the hour." He proposed a coalition that includes all Zionist and ultra-Orthodox parties, asserting that the largest party should head the coalition. Netanyahu highlighted that Likud, under his leadership, received a quarter of a million more votes than the next party, securing 27 out of 120 seats in the Knesset, compared to Eisenkot's Yashar party, which won 21 seats. However, Netanyahu's bloc fell short of the 61-seat majority, with 53 seats against the opposition's 48 and Arab parties' 19.

During consultations, 67 lawmakers recommended Eisenkot, while 46 supported Netanyahu, and seven declined to choose either. Despite Likud being the largest party, Herzog noted that past presidents have chosen leaders from other parties to form governments and cited the majority recommendation for Eisenkot.

Netanyahu expressed willingness to discuss forming a unity government with any party, calling for an end to political boycotts and encouraging Zionist and ultra-Orthodox parties to unite.

Eisenkot has 28 days to establish a government, with a potential 14-day extension. Following his mandate, he urged for a national emergency government to address Israel's challenges and overcome political divisions. However, his efforts face obstacles, particularly regarding reliance on Arab parties and disagreements over military draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox factions.

Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman, after meeting with Eisenkot, ruled out supporting a minority government dependent on Arab-led parties but indicated openness to discussions with ultra-Orthodox factions. Should Eisenkot fail to form a coalition that gains the Knesset's confidence, Herzog may assign the task to another candidate.