3:33pm UK, Friday February 20, 2009

Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu has been asked to form the next Israeli government.

Shimon Peres (L) has asked Benjamin Netanyahu to form a ruling coalition

The right-wing leader has met with President Shimon Peres and formally invited to put together an administration.

Mr Netanyahu will have six weeks to forge a ruling coalition. His decision is likely within days.

His option will be to form a narrow hard-line government or a broad coalition incorporating his centrist rival and current Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni.

But emerging from her meeting with Mr Peres, Ms Livni said she would not join a hard-line government and would sit in opposition “if necessary”.

“I will not be able to serve as a cover for a lack of direction,” she said.

“I want to lead Israel in a way I believe in, to advance a peace process based on two states for two peoples.”

If Ms Livni remains out, the Likud leader may have little choice but to approach the nationalist and religious parties opposed to peacemaking with the Palestinians.

Anticipating such a scenario, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas‘s said he would not deal with a new Israeli government if it was not committed to peace, according to his spokesman.

The announcement comes in the aftermath of Israel‘s national election last week.

Ms Livni’s Kadima party won more seats than Likud – but Mr Netanyahu has more parliamentary support.

Sky News Middle East correspondent Dominic Waghorn said the choice of Mr Netanyahu followed a shift to the right during the election campaign.

“Israelis are concerned about their security following the war with Hamas – which many Israelis feel they won in Gaza – but it raised the question in many Israelis’ minds as who was the strongest to stand up to that threat,” he said.

“Benjamin Netanyahu, because he is able to build a voting bloc, he is going to be given the chance to build a coalition government.

“What swung it for him was the endorsement yesterday of the head of the Israel Our Home party – which is regarded by many people as the far-right extremist parties.

“He got a significant number of votes and when he put his force behind Netanyahu, Shimon Peres had little choice but to make Netanyahu the first choice to form a coalition government.”

Following the formal announcement, Mr Netanyahu spoke about Israel’s “formidable challenges”.

“The responsibility we face is to achieve security for our country, peace with our neighbours and unity among us,” he said.