Israel’s Netanyahu officially tapped to form government

By TIA GOLDENBERG
Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel’s president has officially tapped former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form a government. Sunday’s step is likely to usher the long-serving leader back to power after a one-year hiatus and with him comes what’s expected to be the country’s most right-wing coalition ever. Elections earlier this month indicated a clear win for Netanyahu and his ultra-Orthodox and ultranationalist allies. The vote also ended the short-lived, ideologically-diverse government that that had ousted Netanyahu last year after his 12 consecutive years in power. Netanyahu now has up to six weeks to conclude negotiations and cobble together a government, though political horse-trading began as soon as the election results firmed up.