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Benjamin Netanyahu - Source: Reuters -
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Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu's chances of becoming prime minister appeared to improve significantly on Thursday after he won the backing of a kingpin politician who heads a far-right party.
Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, recommended to President Shimon Peres that he tap Netanyahu to try to form a government, on condition the right-wing Likud chief pursued a broad coalition.
Both Netanyahu and centrist Kadima party leader Tzipi Livni, Israel's foreign minister, laid claim to the premiership after Kadima won 28 seats in the 120-member parliament and Likud took 27 in the Feb. 10 election.
"We recommend Benjamin Netanyahu, only in the framework of a broad government," Lieberman said at the start of his meeting with Peres.
"We want a government of the three biggest parties, Likud, Kadima and Yisrael Beiteinu," Lieberman said, inviting other factions to join.
Yisrael Beiteinu came in third in the national vote. With 15 seats in the legislature, its support is crucial in the formation of a majority government.
The party has stirred controversy by advocating trading land on which many of Israel's Arab citizens live for West Bank Jewish settlements in a future peace deal with the Palestinians, came in third in the election.
Peres will finish consulting party leaders on Friday (NZT) so he can make a quick decision on who to pick to try to establish a governing coalition.
"The president wants to speed up the process and finish it today," a spokeswoman said. She did not say when a final decision would be announced.
Peres met members of Kadima on Wednesday. He planned to consult on Thursday with representatives from the remaining 10 parties voted into the 120-seat parliament.
Under Israeli law, Peres appoints a legislator to try to put together a government, and he or she has 42 days to complete the task.
Traditionally, after an election, past presidents have picked the leader of the party that won the most votes, but there is no legal obligation to do so.
Although Kadima took the most seats, Netanyahu seems to enjoy sufficient support from a large right-wing bloc to form a governing coalition.
In what appeared to be a blow to Livni, Defence Minister Ehud Barak whose left-wing Labour party came in fourth place in the election, said on Thursday he would not recommend a candidate to form the next government.
"The picture is clear, and we are going to the opposition. In this reality, in my opinion, there is just one possibility, not to recommend any of the candidates for prime minister," Barak said at a faction meeting.
Peres has until February 25 to make his choice.
