Israel's Arab-dominated Joint List party on Sunday backed Benny Gantz to form a new government, making Gantz's bloc of supporters larger than that of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, though still neither commanded a majority.
The Joint List, according to near final results, won 13 of the Knesset's 120 seats, making it the third-largest grouping.
With their support Gantz heads a center-left bloc of 57 seats compared to Netanyahu's right-wing bloc of 55.
Former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, whose party secured eight seats, has yet to back Gantz or Netanyahu.