TEL AVIV, October 10. /TASS/. The leaders of parties affiliated with Israel’s ruling coalition have asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form a government of national unity, the state-run television and radio broadcaster Kan said with reference to a statement by Netanyahu’s Likud party. The decision was adopted unanimously.

On October 9, Netanyahu invited opposition leaders to form a national unity government amid an armed conflict with the Palestinian radical Hamas movement. To that end, the prime minister met with parliamentary opposition leader Yair Lapid on October 7. Afterwards Lapid declared his readiness to put aside political differences and form a national unity government together with Netanyahu.

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog addressed the nation on October 8 to call on the Israelis to unite in the face of an attack by Hamas radicals. Also, he came out for forming a national unity government incorporating opposition politicians.