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Yair Lapid 'rules out forming an anti-Netanyahu bloc' Yair Lapid 'rules out forming an anti-Netanyahu bloc'
(35 minutes later)
Yair Lapid has said he will not join any bloc aimed at preventing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from forming a new coalition government.Yair Lapid has said he will not join any bloc aimed at preventing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from forming a new coalition government.
"The outcome of the election is clear: we must work together," he said."The outcome of the election is clear: we must work together," he said.
Mr Lapid's newly-formed Yesh Atid party shocked observers by coming second with 19 seats in Tuesday's election.Mr Lapid's newly-formed Yesh Atid party shocked observers by coming second with 19 seats in Tuesday's election.
Mr Netanyahu's Likud-Beitenu alliance lost a quarter of its seats in the Knesset, but remains the largest grouping with 31.Mr Netanyahu's Likud-Beitenu alliance lost a quarter of its seats in the Knesset, but remains the largest grouping with 31.
Coalition talks have begun in Israel after near-complete general election results gave right-wing and centre-left blocs 60 seats each in parliament.Coalition talks have begun in Israel after near-complete general election results gave right-wing and centre-left blocs 60 seats each in parliament.
Mr Netanyahu has offered to work with the newly-formed Yesh Atid party, a secular centrist party set up by Mr Lapid last year.Mr Netanyahu has offered to work with the newly-formed Yesh Atid party, a secular centrist party set up by Mr Lapid last year.
"I heard talk about establishing a preventative bloc - I want to take this option off the table," Mr Lapid said in a statement on Wednesday evening."I heard talk about establishing a preventative bloc - I want to take this option off the table," Mr Lapid said in a statement on Wednesday evening.
Mr Lapid said earlier that he would only join a government that was committed to reviving the peace process with the Palestinians.Mr Lapid said earlier that he would only join a government that was committed to reviving the peace process with the Palestinians.
He has also demanded reform of a law under which ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students can defer their military service. Religious parties in the current governing coalition are strongly opposed to any changes.
'Broad government'
Although little-known abroad, Mr Lapid has already gained fame in Israel as a popular TV personality.
Pollsters had tipped his party to win about 12 seats. Instead Yesh Atid came second, ahead of the Labour party with 15.
Observers say forming a new coalition government will not be an easy task for Mr Netanyahu.
Addressing Likud supporters after preliminary results gave the right-wing bloc a one-seat parliamentary majority, the Israeli leader promised to form as "as broad a government as possible".
"It is an opportunity to make changes that the citizens of Israel wish upon themselves and that will serve all the citizens of Israel," he said.
On Wednesday morning, Israeli media reported that with 99.8% of votes counted, the joint electoral list of Mr Netanyahu's Likud party and the ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beitenu (Israel is our Home) party of his former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman had won 31 seats.
That would be 11 seats fewer than the two parties' combined total from the last election.
The ultra-nationalist Habayit Hayehudi (Jewish Home), which rejects the notion of an independent Palestinian state, won 11 seats, as did the ultra-Orthodox religious Shas party.
The smaller ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party won seven, bringing the right-wing bloc's total to 60 of the 120 seats in the Knesset.
The centrist Hatnua (The Movement) grouping of former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni won six seats, as did the left-wing Meretz party. Kadima, which was the largest party in the last parliament, got just two.
The remaining 12 of the left-wing bloc's 60 seats went to Arab Israeli parties, but they are traditionally neither asked nor seek to join governing coalitions.