Israeli President Isaac Herzog formally tasked Nov. 13 opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu with forming Israel’s next government. The Nov. 1 elections indicated a clear win for Netanyahu, with his right-wing/religious camp allies garnering a Knesset majority of 64 seats out of 120. They all recommended him for the task of leading the next government.

Netanyahu, as the longest-serving prime minister of Israel, had lost the rule at the last elections a year and a half ago to a diverse center-left coalition. He now has four weeks to negotiate the composition of his next Cabinet, with the option of getting an extension of two more weeks for coalition talks if no deal is reached.

Tasking Netanyahu for the mission, Herzog said Nov. 13 that the consultations he held with representatives of the different parties made it clear Netanyahu had the largest support to form the next government.

Addressing the issue of Netanyahu’s ongoing trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, Herzog noted that Israeli legislation does not sanction an indicted Knesset member. "I am not oblivious, of course, to the fact that there are ongoing legal proceedings against Mr. Netanyahu at the Jerusalem District Court, and I do not trivialize this at all. Nevertheless, it is important to note that the Supreme Court has already expressed itself clearly on the matter of pending indictments against a member of Knesset nominated for the role of forming a government," he said.