BICOM

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin appealed to Prime Minister Netanyahu to heal rifts opened up in the recent election, as he formally asked him to form a government on Wednesday. In a ceremony conducted in business like fashion at the President’s residence, Rivlin urged Netanyahu to pursue three priorities: restoring relations with the United States, restoring stability to the political system and avoiding another premature election, and healing wounds in Israeli society. Rivlin made pointed remarks relating to Netanyahu’s controversial warning on election day that Arabs were coming to the polls “in droves”, for which Netanyahu has since apologised. Standing side by side with Netanyahu, Rivlin said: “Those who are afraid of ballot slips in the polling stations will ultimately receive stones thrown in the streets.”

In response Netanyahu made a conciliatory speech, pledging that he would, “work to heal the rifts that opened between the various segments of society during the election campaign.” He committed to ensuring Israel, “upholds equality of rights for all its citizens regardless of religion, race or gender,” and asserted that, “Our hand is extended in peace to our Palestinian neighbours.” In addition, he promised to “take care to preserve, our alliance with the best of our friends, the United States,” whilst saying he would continue to oppose the agreement with Iran.

Meanwhile, the coalition building process, already underway for several days, will now begin officially with further rounds of negotiations. Netanyahu is expected to try and keep the critical defence portfolio within the Likud, meaning that Avigdor Lieberman may remain Foreign Minister. Though Kulanu leader Moshe Kahlon looks set to become finance minister, negotiations between his party and Likud have run into trouble with the chairmanship of the Knesset Finance Committee having been offered to the ultra-Orthodox UTJ party, contrary to Kahlon’s demands for it to be controlled by his party. Some Israeli commentators continue to claim that an alternative unity government including Zionist Union is possible, though it still seems highly unlikely.