UPDATE - Israel president officially asks Netanyahu to form govt

ADDS BACKGROUND

By Said Amouri

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday officially tapped Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form a new cabinet, according to reports in the Israeli media.

The move comes after Netanyahu’s relative victory in Israel’s April 9 general elections.

Rivlin gave Netanyahu a 28-day deadline for drawing up a new cabinet, which can be extended -- if necessary -- by a further 14 days.

If Netanyahu fails to form a government within the given period, Rivlin will nominate a member of the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) to do so.

Netanyahu has secured the required Knesset support (56 members) to form the upcoming government.

The right-wing parties of Yisrael Beiteinu and United Right on Tuesday informed Rivlin of their recommendations to task Netanyahu with forming the Cabinet.

Last Wednesday, the Blue and White coalition -- the main rival of the Netanyahu-led Likud party – conceded defeat in the general elections. The coalition captured the same number of seats won by Netanyahu’s party (35 seats each) but was backed by only 45 Knesset members.