India, Nov. 3 -- The leaders of Israel's political parties opposed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met for the first time since last week's election, as the country is mired in political deadlock from results that do not show either side with a conclusive win.

The Opposition parties agreed to recommend former general Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, to form the first coalition.

Israel's president, who holds a largely ceremonial position, chooses which party will have the first attempt to build a majority coalition of 61 seats after the election. Results released by election officials early Friday showed Netanyahu's bloc winning 53 seats in the 120-member assembly, well below the 68 seats it had controlled at its peak in t...