Israeli opposition leader Eisenkot has the right to form a coalition… Netanyahu's downfall

President Herzog grants priority… A coalition must be formed within a maximum of 42 days.

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kang Hoon-sang = The Associated Press reported on the 8th (local time) that Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Israeli opposition Yashar Party, who won the general election last month, was granted the right to form the next coalition government.

Israeli President Izhak Herzog announced on the 7th that Eisenkot has priority authority over forming a coalition government.

As Eisenkot is the closest to becoming the next prime minister, the possibility of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu falling from office has become very high.

“Now is the time to form a national emergency government,” Eisenkot told X shortly after the president’s announcement. “We will do everything possible to prove that we are worthy of it.”

Eisenkot has 28 days from the date of granting the right to form a coalition government to form a coalition cabinet, and if this deadline is exceeded, the president can extend it for another 14 days. If official composition rights are handed over on the 8th, the basic negotiation deadline is the 6th of next month, and if it is extended to the maximum, the deadline is the 20th of next month.

Eisenkot must agree on policies and ministerial distribution with the participating political parties during this period, then submit the new government to the National Assembly and request its confidence.

In the general election on the 27th of last month, both Netanyahu and Eisenkot failed to secure a majority of 61 seats in parliament.

Netanyahu's Likud party and the right-wing and religious party camp had 53 seats, 11 fewer than in the general election four years ago, and the opposition party led by Eisenkot took 48 seats. Two Arab political parties that do not belong to either camp secured 19 seats, the largest ever.

Looking at the number of seats, Netanyahu's camp has 5 more seats than the opposition, but as Arab political parties supported Eisenkot, the lead in forming the next government passed to the opposition.

Prime Minister Netanyahu attempted to block Arab parties from joining the opposition by alleging election fraud, but this ultimately failed.

Although Arab political parties have lent their support to Eisenkot, this does not immediately mean that they will participate in a coalition government or support a vote of confidence. In particular, during the three years of war in the Gaza Strip, divisions in Israeli society deepened, and cooperation with Arab political parties became a key issue.

Eisenkot expressed his willingness to cooperate with Arab political parties on the condition that Hamas be defined as a terrorist organization that must be disbanded.

In a video statement just before the president's announcement, Prime Minister Netanyahu called for the formation of a national government, targeting Arab political parties and asserting, "We should not hastily launch a government with supporters of terrorism."

If Eisenkot fails to form a coalition within the designated period, the president can delegate the power of formation to another member of parliament or notify Congress that there is no possibility of forming a government. The second candidate is given 28 days to negotiate.

If even the second candidate fails to form a coalition or the President determines that there is no possibility of forming a coalition, the Congress moves on to recommending a candidate. Members of the National Assembly can request the President to entrust the formation of the cabinet to a specific member by collecting the signatures of 61 or more signatures, which is the majority of the total, within 21 days.

Representatives who have been given the right to constitute through this procedure have a final 14-day negotiation period.

If the National Assembly fails to recommend a candidate within the deadline or the last candidate fails to form a government, the Assembly will be dissolved and a general election must be held again within 90 days.

Netanyahu can continue to serve as interim prime minister until a new government is inaugurated.