Netanyahu given the opportunity to form a new government in Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was picked to try to put together a governing coalition following Israel's fourth election in two years. 

This is part of Israel's complicated process of choosing a prime minister. President Reuven Rivlin determined that Netanyahu has the best chance of being able to cobble together a coalition government with the necessary 61 seats in the Knesset, the number it takes to achieve a majority of the total of 120 members.

"I have come to a decision based on the numbers of recommendations, which indicates that MK Benjamin Netanyahu has a slightly higher chance of forming a government. Accordingly, I have decided to entrust him with the task of doing so," said Rivlin, according to The Hill. 

Netanyahu's Likud party won 30 seats in the recent election. Yesh Atid won the second most seats, with 17. There are a total of 13 parties that won seats, and which could become part of a ruling coalition.

Netanyahu now has 28 days to attempt to convince enough other parties or individuals to join his coalition, which currently is thought to consist of 52 out of the 61 members necessary to form a majority coalition. At the end of those 28 days, President Rivlin could extend the period by 14 days, or pick someone else to try to cobble together a new government. 

Netanyahu is the longest serving prime minister in Israel's history, having served in the position from 1996 through 1999 and from 2009 to the present.