Israel’s president says parties need to engage with ‘open heart’ to avoid fresh election

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has urged the country’s political parties to enter negotiations on forming a new government with an “open heart,” as he prepares to consult with factions on a path forward after an uncertain election result. Last week’s elections saw Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc denied a majority, with the parties in his ruling coalition claiming 53 seats in Israel’s 120-member Knesset. Parties in the bloc aligned with Netanyahu’s main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, won 48 seats, leaving neither man with an obvious path to forming a government. The balance of power is held by parties representing Israel’s minority Arab community, which nearly doubled its representation in Israel’s parliament with 19 seats. But both Netanyahu and Eisenkot had ruled out working with them prior to the vote.