(Communicated by the President’s Spokesperson)
 
President Reuven Rivlin this morning began consultations on the forming of a new government, with the parties elected to the 20th Knesset. He began the first consultation with representatives of the Likud party.
 
The President commented, “In a democracy the majority rules, and the majority has expressed its will clearly in these elections. The role of the President after the elections is to serve the public faithfully, and to initiate the process of forming a coalition government in as swift and as transparent a way as possible.
 
“The bringing forward of these consultations is designed to realize both these goals. Against a background of security and social challenges which lie before us, and with the critical need to approve a budget - there is a need to act to swear in the new government as soon as possible. With the beginning of these consultations, I call on all the elected representatives to do all in their power to speed up the process and the coalition negotiations, in order to allow the system of governance to once again operate as necessary.
 
“We have been through a stormy and passionate election period - this is the time to begin a process of mending and healing in Israeli society. While the government which will be formed will have been elected by a majority of Israel's citizens, it must provide an answer to the needs of all the citizens of Israel."