Israeli Prime Minister-Designate Benjamin Netanyahu met Monday morning with Ehud Barak, leader of the Labour Party, in an effort to get him to join a government Netanyahu is attempting to set up, dpa reported.
Although Netanyahu can form a narrow coalition with the support of 65 of the 120 legislators in the Knesset, he has said he prefers to set up a unity government with his hardline Likud Party, the centrist Kadima party and the centre-left Labour Party, which would give him of government of 68 lawmakers.
But Barak, whose party scored only 13 seats in the February 10 elections, its lowest showing ever, has said Labour will sit in opposition.
Kadima head Tzipi Livni, who met with Netanyahu on Sunday night, has also indicated that her party will not join a Likud-led government.
President Shimon Peres asked Netanyahu to form a government on Friday, after holding consultations with Knesset factions.
Although Kadima won 28 seats in the election, one more than the Likud, a majority of factions recommended Netanyahu for the premiership.
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