Israeli President Reuven Rivlin invited Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Blue and White party chairman Benny Gantz to the President’s Residence in Jerusalem Monday night, a spokesperson for the president said Monday afternoon.
According to a statement released by the president’s office, the meeting will be closed to the media.
President Rivlin met Sunday and Monday with representatives with all nine of the parties elected to the 22nd Knesset, holding consultations with each delegation regarding their recommendations for which candidate should serve as prime minister.
Incumbent Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu received the backing of his own Likud party, United Torah Judaism, Shas, and Yamina – netting him a total of 55 recommendations from MKs-elect.
Benny Gantz won the backing of 54 MKs-elect, including his own Blue and White party, Labor-Gesher, the Democratic Union, and 10 of the Joint List’s 13 MKs.
Neither Gantz nor Netanyahu was able to reach the 61 MKs necessary for a majority in the 120-member Knesset after the Yisrael Beytenu party’s eight incoming MKs refused to nominate either of the two candidates for the premiership.
Since last Tuesday’s election, President Rivlin has urged the Likud and Blue and White parties to join together to form a national unity government.