Israel's president on Wednesday tasked Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/netanyahu-gantz-set-for-new-talks-on-israel-vote-deadlock-252003">Benjamin Netanyahu</a> with forming a new government after last week's deadlocked elections, his office announced.

The announcement followed a joint meeting between President Reuven Rivlin, Netanyahu and the premier's challenger Benny Gantz.

Soon after accepting President Rivlin's mandate to try to form a government, Netanyahu renewed&nbsp;his call for Gantz to join him in a unity coalition.

However, the Gantz rejected the call saying that he will "not agree to sit in a government with a leader against whom stands a severe indictment."

"Blue and White led by me will not agree to sit in a government with a leader against whom stands a severe indictment," Gantz said in a statement.

Netanyahu will have 28 days to form a government, with a possible two-week extension.

If all attempts fail, Rivlin can then assign the task to someone else.

Watch: Israel elections - Referendum on Netanyahu?

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-elections-referendum-or-netanyahu-250142/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Rivlin has been urging Netanyahu and Gantz to form a unity government, but a compromise appears a long way off.

Final results from September 17 elections gave Gantz's centrist Blue and White 33 seats, ahead of Likud's 32 out of parliament's 120.

Neither has a clear path to a majority coalition.

Netanyahu received the endorsement of 55 members of parliament for the post of prime minister after the election, while Gantz received 54.

Israel's president on Wednesday tasked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with forming a new government after last week's deadlocked elections, his office announced.

Israel's president on Wednesday tasked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with forming a new government after last week's deadlocked elections, his office announced. The announcement followed a joint meeting between President Reuven Rivlin, Netanyahu and the premier's challenger Benny Gantz. Soon after accepting President Rivlin's mandate to try to form a government, Netanyahu renewed his call for Gantz to join him in a unity coalition. However, the Gantz rejected the call saying that he will "not agree to sit in a government with a leader against whom stands a severe indictment." "Blue and White led by me will not agree to sit in a government with a leader against whom stands a severe indictment," Gantz said in a statement. Netanyahu will have 28 days to form a government, with a possible two-week extension. If all attempts fail, Rivlin can then assign the task to someone else. Watch: Israel elections - Referendum on Netanyahu? × Rivlin has been urging Netanyahu and Gantz to form a unity government, but a compromise appears a long way off. Final results from September 17 elections gave Gantz's centrist Blue and White 33 seats, ahead of Likud's 32 out of parliament's 120. Neither has a clear path to a majority coalition. Netanyahu received the endorsement of 55 members of parliament for the post of prime minister after the election, while Gantz received 54.

Israel president tasks Benjamin Netanyahu with forming new government

Israeli lawmakers voted to dissolve parliament on Thursday (May 30), paving the way for a new election after veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a coalition government before a midnight deadline.

Israelis angered as they face second election in months

An Israeli cyber watchdog said Monday it has uncovered a network of fake online accounts backing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and slandering opponents ahead of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/palestinians-see-little-hope-in-israeli-elections-207228">next week's general election</a>.

In a new report the Big Bots Protect, which describes itself as a campaigner against social media abuse, said posts used "lies, libel and rumormongering" to attack Netanyahu's challengers.

It found over 130,000 tweets from "hundreds of fake or anonymous accounts" without names or profile pictures, which did not identify themselves as linked to Netanyahu's Likud party.

It acknowledged that there were also "hundreds of genuine accounts" backing the premier's bid for re-election.

Among the targets were journalists and public figures considered hostile to Netanyahu including his main challenger, Benny Gantz, leader of the centrist Blue and White party.

The report said they included accusations that Gantz was a "rapist" and others questioning his mental health.

A spokeswoman for Blue and White told AFP that party leaders had filed a complaint against the posts with police.

"There is an attempt to steal the elections, there is a system of lies here," Gantz wrote on Twitter.&nbsp;

"Netanyahu's house of cards is collapsing."

The prime minister went live on Facebook and YouTube to dismiss the report, flanked by what he said was a genuine Likud online supporter.

"A million Likud voters are not 'bots'," he said, adding that Likud was also filing a police complaint against Blue and White for accusing him.

"Not one of them is fake," he said of the messages cited by the Big Bots Protect.

"They have names, they have families," he added. "They have their own opinions, independent people!"

Netanyahu, 69, is seeking a fifth term in office in the April 9 election, despite also facing potential corruption charges.

Blue and White has consistently been scoring better than Likud in opinion polls, although Netanyahu is seen as standing a better chance of putting together a coalition government under Israel's proportional representation electoral system.

An Israeli cyber watchdog said Monday it has uncovered a network of fake online accounts backing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and slandering opponents ahead of next week's general election.

An Israeli cyber watchdog said Monday it has uncovered a network of fake online accounts backing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and slandering opponents ahead of next week's general election. In a new report the Big Bots Protect, which describes itself as a campaigner against social media abuse, said posts used "lies, libel and rumormongering" to attack Netanyahu's challengers. It found over 130,000 tweets from "hundreds of fake or anonymous accounts" without names or profile pictures, which did not identify themselves as linked to Netanyahu's Likud party. It acknowledged that there were also "hundreds of genuine accounts" backing the premier's bid for re-election. Among the targets were journalists and public figures considered hostile to Netanyahu including his main challenger, Benny Gantz, leader of the centrist Blue and White party. The report said they included accusations that Gantz was a "rapist" and others questioning his mental health. A spokeswoman for Blue and White told AFP that party leaders had filed a complaint against the posts with police. "There is an attempt to steal the elections, there is a system of lies here," Gantz wrote on Twitter. "Netanyahu's house of cards is collapsing." The prime minister went live on Facebook and YouTube to dismiss the report, flanked by what he said was a genuine Likud online supporter. "A million Likud voters are not 'bots'," he said, adding that Likud was also filing a police complaint against Blue and White for accusing him. "Not one of them is fake," he said of the messages cited by the Big Bots Protect. "They have names, they have families," he added. "They have their own opinions, independent people!" Netanyahu, 69, is seeking a fifth term in office in the April 9 election, despite also facing potential corruption charges. Blue and White has consistently been scoring better than Likud in opinion polls, although Netanyahu is seen as standing a better chance of putting together a coalition government under Israel's proportional representation electoral system.

Israeli watchdog finds online manipulation ahead of vote