This is a developing story
President Reuven Rivlin kicked off consultations with party leaders on Monday morning, on who they want to see tasked with forming Israel's next government.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
In an address ahead of the consultations, Rivlin said, "The main consideration that will guide me is to give the task of forming the government to the Knesset member with the highest chance of succeeding in forming a government that will be backed by the new Knesset.
"The consultation process will be transparent and open to the public," he said.
The Office of the President will broadcast the meetings live on social media.
According to Channel 12 News, the president plans to ask party chiefs for their second-best pick options and scenarios that they reject, to get a better understanding of the fault lines on the political scene.
Members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, which won 30 Knesset seats in the March 23 election, were the first to meet with the president, at 9:45, local time.
Likud member and Justice Minister Amir Ohana told Rivlin in their meeting, "We have here a decision by the voter. The Likud movement headed by Netanyahu received over a million votes from Israel's citizens. We believe and hope that with the highest number of recommendations, this will make Netanyahu the candidate for forming a government in a way that reflects the will of the people."
When Rivlin told the Likud officials in attendance, Ohana, Science Minister Ofir Akunis, and Settlement Affairs Minister Tzachi Hanegbi, he may not only take the number of Knesset seats garnered in the last election into consideration when deciding who to task with forming the last government, Akunis responded that "tasking a party with single-digit Knesset sets with the mandate is an undemocratic idea."
Asked whether Likud members would also recommend an alternative candidate to Netanyahu, Ohana replied: "As a state governed by the rule of law, we need to ask ourselves what the law says. The law, of course, is clear, and when we recommend Netanyahu, we act in accordance with the law. I came here from another place, the district courthouse, out of a firm belief, and I came to stand on the side of truth and justice. I think the over a million people who voted for Likud know the situation the president alluded to."
At 10:15, the president met with representatives of the Yesh Atid party, who recommended their leader Yair Lapid for the job, saying he was the only candidate capable of forming a government.
Senior Yesh Atid member Orna Barbivai told the president, "When we have a prime minister who is defending himself right now in court, we need a candidate who will work for the sake of the State of Israel, not himself, to take on this important task."
While Barbivai admitted Lapid may recommend another candidate for the role of prime minister, she said the Yesh Atid head should be tasked with forming the next government because he had the best chance of succeeding in the task.
In their meeting, Rivlin said, "I don't see a way to establish the government right now. The people of Israel should be very worried that we may be forced to be dragged into a fifth election campaign."
At 11:00, Rivlin met with members of the Sephardi ultra-Orthodox Shas party, who said they would recommend "Netanyahu and only Netanyahu" form the next coalition and serve as prime minister.
Shas MK Yinon Azoulay told Rivlin, "Throughout the entire election campaign, we said clearly we would only support Netanyahu as prime minister, and that is what we are here to say today."
Asked by Rivlin whether Netanyahu would have the support necessary to form a coalition, Azoulay said, "We believe he is the only one who can bring about a 61-[Knesset seat] majority. How will it happen? We believe it will."
Blue and White officials recommended Lapid be tasked with forming the next government in their meeting with Rivlin, held at 11:45.
In their meeting, Sports Minister Hili Tropper said, "We have a deep commitment to a government of change." He said, "We cannot sit with Netanyahu [in a coalition government]. Stability will not come from a prime minister busy with his personal issues.
"We recommend Lapid, but we will certainly support any candidate from the change bloc that can bring the highest number of recommendations," he said.
Strategic Affairs Minister and Blue and White member Orit Farkash Hacohen called to "remove the public vortex we are in because of one person," to which Rivlin responded he could not engage in the heart's desires. "The value issue you speak of is a very weighty issue the people faced in the election."
Ahead of his meeting with the president, Blue and White leader Benny Gantz announced his party would recommend Rivlin task Lapid with forming the next coalition.
"We will continue to do everything so that an honest government is formed, and for the mandate not to go to Netanyahu who is entirely concerned with his trial," Gantz said.
Despite having garnered just seven seats in the election, representatives of Yamina recommended their party leader Naftali Bennett in talks with Rivlin held at 12:30.
He said, "You are recommending Naftali Bennett with the knowledge that this time around, he cannot have it [the mandate to form a government]. It may very well be I pass it [the ball] to the Knesset."
Yamina's Ayelet Shaked responded that the president should give lawmakers a second chance at selecting someone to form the government "and not go straight to the Knesset."
If no party leader can be found that is able to cobble together a coalition, a minimum of 61 lawmakers could submit a written request to the president asking him to provide another lawmaker 14 days to try and form a government.
At 13:15, officials from the Ashkenazi Haredi party United Torah Judaism recommended Netanyahu be tasked with forming a coalition.
Labor party representatives were set to hold their meeting with the president at 14:00.
The meetings are held in order of the number of seats each party earned in the election.
Following an hourlong recess, Rivlin will confer with Yisrael Beytenu delegates at 16:00, followed by a meeting with the Religious Zionism Party at 16:45. He will then see representatives from the Joint Arab List at 17:30, after which he will meet with New Hope officials at 18:15. At 19:00, the president will meet with members of the Meretz party. In his final meeting, slated for 19:45, Rivlin will speak with Ra'am party head Mansour Abbas.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
Joint Arab List officials announced they would not recommend anyone with forming the government. In a statement, they criticized Lapid and his Yesh Atid party, saying, "He was sure he has us in his pocket, and he was wrong. We didn't get any assurance from him or his representatives or an action plan that concerns the needs of the Arab sector. In this situation, the decision was made to avoid a recommendation."
On Wednesday, Rivlin is expected to task one of the lawmakers with forming a government, giving the person 28 days to do so.
The mandate can be extended for another two weeks with the president's approval if its holder fails to build up a coalition within this period.
i24NEWS contributed to this report.
