Jerusalem (CNN) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been given the first chance to try to form a new government after preliminary attempts to negotiate a unity coalition between Netanyahu and his main rival Benny Gantz failed.

Elections held last week failed to produce a clear path to government for either man, leading to efforts by Israel's President Reuven Rivlin to try to get them to work together.

But after a second meeting with the two leaders Wednesday ended with no breakthrough, Rivlin acted quickly to get the formal process of coalition building underway.

"The decision to give the mandate [to Netanyahu] was based on the question of who has the better chance of forming a government," Rivlin explained. "Right now, Benjamin Netanyahu's chance of forming a government is higher."

Rivlin urged Netanyahu and all potential coalition allies to reach an agreement, warning, "The country does not want more elections."

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