Netanyahu to Form Israeli Government

(NEWSER) - Benjamin Netanyahu says the voters have spoken and it's clear that he'll be Israel's next prime minister, the Jerusalem Post reports. Rival Tzipi Livni says the same thing. "I've spoken to party leaders, and we have agreed to begin negotiations on a new government tomorrow," says Netanyahu. Exit polls show his Likud finishing a close second to Livni's Kadima, but he's counting on a larger right-wing bloc to give him the post. Says Livni: "Today the people chose Kadima. We will form the next government." More»

Ultra-Orthodox party says it won't join a Livni government

(NEWSER) - Tzipi Livni received a potentially fatal blow in her bid to become Israel's prime minister when the ultra-orthodox party Shas announced today it would not join her coalition. Livni, who succeeded Ehud Olmert as leader of the ruling Kadima party last month, has struggled for weeks to build an alliance. The breakdown in talks means that early elections are almost inevitable, reports Haaretz. More»

He's pressuring Netanyahu to move toward Tzipi Livni

(NEWSER) - President Obama is keeping intense pressure on Israel not because he wants to destroy relations but because he wants to boost the political prospects of centrist Tzipi Livni, writes Jeffrey Goldberg. Obama would love to force out current prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu (the president doesn't think he's "very bright"), but short of that he wants to make Netanyahu boot far-right members of his coalition. It's the only path to peace. More»

Move could boost peace talks with Palestinians

(AP) - The Israeli prime minister has asked moderate opposition leader Tzipi Livni to join his government—a move that could boost efforts to restart negotiations with the Palestinians if she accepts, or rip apart her rival party if she refuses. The offer, made late yesterday after a cabinet meeting, came amid reports that Benjamin Netanyahu was trying to persuade lawmakers from Livni's Kadima party to bolt to his Likud. On Friday, one lawmaker announced she would join Likud if Livni rejected the offer. More»

Move means ultra-right parties will make up next government

(NEWSER) - Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister-designate, failed to persuade rival Tzipi Livni to join him in a broad coalition government, Haaretz reports. At a meeting today, Netanyahu made substantial concessions to the current foreign minister, including key ministerial posts for her party, Kadima. But Netanyahu's refusal to endorse a two-state solution left Livni unable to join his government. More»