Israel's Netanyahu tapped to form next government

Israel's veteran ex-premier Benjamin Netanyahu secured a mandate to form a new government, paving the way for his comeback at the helm of what is expected to be the most right-wing administration in the country's history.

After a period of unprecedented political gridlock tested the electorate with five votes in less than four years, November 1 polls gave Netanyahu and his far-right allies a clear majority in the 120-seat parliament.

"I have decided to assign to you, Benjamin Netanyahu, the task of forming a government," President Isaac Herzog told him at a ceremony in Jerusalem. 

Accepting the mandate, the 73-year-old right-wing politician widely known as "Bibi" vowed to serve all Israelis, "those who voted for us and those who did not -- it is my responsibility".

Netanyahu, who is fighting corruption allegations in court, will have at least 28 days to build a coalition with his allies -- two ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties and a rising extreme-right alliance called Religious Zionism.

Netanyahu can seek a two-week extension to his initial mandate but is expected to announce a coalition deal reasonably quickly, given broad ideological unity within the incoming government. 

Netanyahu's next moves will be closely scrutinised as unease mounts in some quarters over his policy plans and the goals of his controversial governing partners.

Netanyahu, however, insisted that those seeking to "prophetise catastrophe and scare the public" are misguided.