Netanyahu urges key rivals to join 'unity' government

Benjamin Netanyahu urged Israel's two main opposition parties to join him in a broad governing coalition Friday, shortly after being nominated as the country's next prime minister, said Reuters.

"I call on Kadima chairwoman Tzipi Livni and Labour party chairman Ehud Barak and I say to them: let's unite to secure the future of the State of Israel," said Netanyahu, according tothe report.

"I ask to meet with you first to discuss with you a broad national unity government for the good of the people and the state."

Israeli President Shimon Peres announced earlier Friday he would formally ask the hawkish Likud leader to form the next government.

Netanyahu, who served as prime minister from June 1996 to July 1999, has six weeks to build a coalition government.

Netanyahu won the endorsement of a key political rival Thursday when Avigdor Lieberman, the head of an ultra-nationalist party that won 15 seats during the Feb. 10 general election, said he supported the Likud leader as prime minister.

Livni's Kadima party edged out Likud by a one-seat margin in the election (28 to 27), but neither party could command the 120-seat Knesset.

Two other right-wing parties, Jewish Home and Shas, have indicated they will back Netanyahu, while left-wing parties Labor and Meretz haven't offered support to any candidate, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.

Livni has indicated her party will not join the governing coalition and will instead work with the opposition, said Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

"A broad coalition has no value if it does not lead the way. There is a coalition here based on a lack of political vision," said Livni, according to Haaretz.