Israel's president begins consultations with parties after election deadlock

In the election on 27 October, Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party and its far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies won 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. Eisenkot's centrist Yashar party and three other Jewish opposition parties in his bloc won 48.

Two Arab-led alliances, the United Arab List and the Joint List, together won an unprecedented 19 seats following a surge in turnout among Arab voters.

That makes them potential kingmakers. However, all but one of the Jewish parties pledged before the polls not to work with them to form a government.

The role of Israel's president is largely ceremonial, but after an election they have the role of inviting a Knesset member to form a government. That person will be given 28 days to do so, with a potential 14-day extension.