Israel's Interior Minister Eli Yishai on Wednesday urged the new leader of the Knesset parliament 's largest opposition party to join Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud-led coalition to form an emergency government.

Incoming Kadima ("Forward") chairman Shaul Mofaz beat out his opponent Tzipi Livni with 64.5 percent of the 95,000 members' votes in Tuesday's hard-fought elections.

Yishai, who also holds a portfolio as deputy prime minister, said in his appeal, "with the State of Israel facing fateful decisions, unity is needed more than ever, and Mr. Mofaz can contribute much to that as a result of his vast experience," according to local daily Ha'aretz.

However, beyond a call to arms over acute security and diplomatic issues, Yishai also chairs the influential religious Shas Sephardic Torah Guardians party, and may view Mofaz as a potential partner in advancing social welfare projects, to both parties' benefit.

After poll results were confirmed late Tuesday, Mofaz, while considered a hawk on security issues, said in a statement that he wanted to lead Kadima to "... return hope to the people of Israel. We'll make sure every boy and girl fulfill their duty to the state, but we'll also make sure that the right to housing, education, an honorable life, family and a dignified old age are within reach for all."

While only 45 percent of party rank and file headed to the polling stations, it was enough to bring the former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff (Tzipi Livni) to the party's helm after a mud-slinging campaign between the two. However, despite mutual acrimonious rhetoric during the campaign, Mofaz called on Livni to stay aboard.

"Tzipi, you belong with us," Mofaz told his rival, at party headquarters.

Netanyahu called to congratulate Mofaz on his win, and said that their offices would set a date to resume regularly scheduled updates between the prime minister and the opposition chief.

Mofaz is the fourth leader of Kadima, after Ariel Sharon, Ehud Olmert and Livni.

Kadima is the largest party in the unicameral Knesset, holding 28 out of 120 seats -- a hairsbreadth ahead of Likud with 27. However, Netanyahu's governing coalition is larger than that cobbled together by Livni, relegating the party to the opposition bench since the 2008 elections.