Benny Gantz's Blue & White formally rules out joining Netanyahu government

Benny Gantz’s Blue & White alliance formally refused to join a coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu, as Israel’s president began the formal process of forming the country’s next government.

President Reuven Rivlin began meeting political party leaders on Monday to hear their recommendation on who should form the next government.

He met representatives from Mr Netanyahu’s Likud party, as the largest faction in the new Knesset, before his meeting with Blue & White.

He will then hear from representatives of the nine other elected parties in the chamber, in order of largest to smallest, to hear their recommendations.