President Reuven Rivlin began meeting with party leaders on Sunday evening in preparation for his decision on the best candidate to receive the mandate to form the next government.
Likud representatives told Rivlin that they are recommending Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to receive the mandate. "When we began these elections we asked the public for a mandate to form a right-wing government with our partners in the previous government," Minister Levin told Rivlin. "We have to make every effort to reconcile what we wanted, what we presented to the public and reality."
Rivlin responded that "the people of Israel want a government that will be stable and be capable of leading the state. As an Israeli citizen, I feel that the only way to prevent [another] election is the ability of the two large parties - which are almost equal in size - to join forces and form a government."
Earlier, Blue and White members Moshe (Bogie) Ya'alon, Karin Elharar, Zvi Hauser, Meirav Cohen and Pnina Tamano-Shata met with Rivlin and recommended that the mandate be given to Benny Gantz.
President Rivlin responded: "It's only possible to form a government if we bring you and the second-largest party - the Likud. Is that a possibility for you?"
Ya'alon replied to Rivlin: "This is a new question in light of what happened in the last elections, but it is perfectly clear that we will act in the best interest of the state. If God-forbid we fail to form the next government, it's clear to us that we will return the mandate to you to decide who will bear the responsibility [of forming the next government]."
"I think that the will of the people is a stable government," the president added. '' I have come to understand over the years that it's more important to the people that the political system be stable than who runs it. A stable government must include the two main parties."