Prevent 'left-wing' government, Netanyahu tells campaign rally

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, trailing in opinion polls two days before a parliamentary election, on March 15 implored right-wing voters to turn out and "stop a left-wing government from coming to power."
   
Speaking to a rally of thousands of supporters of Israel's right-wing parties from behind a bulletproof screen at Tel Aviv's main square, Netanyahu warned that the right-wing government he leads could be voted out of office.
   
"Our rivals are investing a huge effort to harm me and the Likud, to open a gap between my party, the Likud, and (our rivals), and if we don't close this gap, there is a real danger that a left-wing government will rise to power," Netanyahu said.
   
Final opinion polls published on Friday predicted the centre-left Zionist Union led by Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni would take between 24 and 26 seats in Tuesday's vote, compared to 20-22 seats for Likud.
   
No single party has ever won an outright majority in Israel's 120-seat Knesset and the party leader with the best chance of forming a coalition would lead the new government.
   
While admitting he is trailing in the polls, Netanyahu is hoping that right-wing parties can narrow the gap sufficiently for him to be nominated by Israel's president to form the next coalition and win a fourth term as prime minister.
   
Earlier on Sunday, he publicly offered the Finance Ministry portfolio to Moshe Kahlon, a potential king-making rival from a newly formed centrist party. But Kahlon dismissed the offer as pre-election spin.
   
Even if Likud is outnumbered, Netanyahu is counting on a larger right-wing bloc to support his bid for another term and     Kahlon, with around 10 seats in the polls, could tilt things in...