JERUSALEM, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted on Thursday he is unable to form a right-wing government after a political stalemate left the country's two main political parties deadlocked.
In a statement issued by his office, he called on his main rival, centrist Benny Gantz, to meet him "at any hour today" to hold discussions on "a broad unity government" with other right-wing parties.
Earlier on Thursday, the leaders of most of the right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties were convened by Netanyahu in Jerusalem. They signed a document in which they have committed supporting only Netanyahu as the next prime minister. They vowed to join a coalition only as a united bloc, with Netanyahu at its helm.
Local media reported that a senior official with Gantz's centrist party, Blue and White, has rejected Netanyahu's call as a "spin."
After 97 percent of the votes in Israel's parliamentary elections have been counted on Thursday morning, Gantz's Blue and White party was shown to win 33 seats. Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party won 31 seats.
Israeli governing coalition needs at least 61 members to have a majority in the 120-seat parliament. However, both of the blocs of Gantz and Netanyahu failed to gain enough seats to form a governing coalition, with a unity government emerging as a likely option.
Israelis cast ballots on Tuesday for the second time in five months after Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, failed to form a governing coalition and call for snap elections.
