Netanyahu says he is open to broad Israeli government but insists on leading it

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday he was open to talks on forming a broad government but insisted that he should remain prime minister.

Likud "aspires to form a broad government with our partners and with any party that wishes to do so and does not support terrorism," Netanyahu said on US social media platform X.

"I am open to holding a dialogue on the matter," he added.

Netanyahu claimed that "the public in Israel does not want a government that is dependent on Ra'am and the Joint List," referring to the two Arab parliamentary lists.

"From day one our hand has been extended to establish a broad national government," he said.

Netanyahu also claimed a mandate to remain prime minister following last week's parliamentary elections.

"A clear majority of the Jewish public chose Likud as the largest party and me, as prime minister, to lead the next government," he said.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's Together party, Yair Golan's Democrats and Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beytenu have decided to recommend that President Isaac Herzog task Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming the next government.

The opposition parties' backing gives Eisenkot the support of 48 lawmakers.

The two Arab parliamentary lists are also expected to recommend Eisenkot, potentially raising his support to 67 lawmakers in the 120-member Knesset.

Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats in last week's elections, compared with 48 for opposition parties and 19 for Arab parties, leaving neither bloc with a parliamentary majority.

However, recommendations to Herzog do not guarantee the formation of a governing coalition. Lieberman has rejected joining a government that includes Arab parties or depends on their parliamentary support.

Herzog is scheduled to begin two days of consultations with parliamentary factions on Wednesday before selecting a lawmaker to receive the mandate to form the next government.