Israel’s president picks Eisenkot over Netanyahu to form next government
Herzog passes over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after post-election consultations.
Quick Look
- Israeli President Isaac Herzog has tasked former army chief Gadi Eisenkot with forming the next government after consultations with all political parties.
- Eisenkot, recommended by parties representing 67 lawmakers versus 46 for Netanyahu’s bloc, has 28 days to build a coalition holding at least 61 of the Knesset’s 120 seats.
- Netanyahu warned that an opposition government backed by Arab-led parties would lead to Israel’s collapse.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Neither side secured a majority in the October 27 general election. Eisenkot’s four-party alliance won 48 seats while Netanyahu’s right-wing and religious bloc secured 53, both short of the 61 needed for a parliamentary majority. Arab-led parties won a record 19 seats. Eisenkot led Israel’s military from 2015 to 2019 and sat as an observer in Netanyahu’s war cabinet for the first eight months of Israel’s war on Gaza.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has tasked former army chief Gadi Eisenkot with forming the country’s next government, passing over his rival Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Herzog communicated his decision to Eisenkot on Saturday evening and will formally hand him the mandate at a ceremony on Sunday, a statement from the president’s spokesperson said.
This comes after Herzog held consultations with all political parties this week, to decide who he would grant the chance to form a government after neither side secured a majority in the October 27 general election.
Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, was recommended by parties representing 67 lawmakers as opposed to 46 for Netanyahu’s bloc, the statement said.
Eisenkot will have 28 days – with a possible 14-day extension – to build a coalition that holds at least 61 of the Knesset’s 120 seats, the minimum threshold for a government.
In the October election, Eisenkot’s four-party alliance won 48 seats, while Netanyahu’s right-wing and religious bloc secured 53, leaving both short of the 61 needed for a parliamentary majority. Arab-led parties, representing Palestinian citizens of Israel, won a record 19 seats.
The decision on Saturday came hours after Netanyahu warned that a government formed by opposition parties with the support of Arab-led parties would lead to Israel’s collapse.
Eisenkot has ruled out forming a government with the Arab-led parties, which would give him a 67-seat bloc. Winning over the two ultra-Orthodox parties, United Torah Judaism and Shas, would give him exactly 61 seats.
Eisenkot led Israel’s military from 2015 to 2019 and sat as an observer in Netanyahu’s war cabinet for the first eight months of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Eisenkot will attempt to form a coalition with United Torah Judaism and Shas to reach the 61-seat threshold.
Likely · Within days
Eisenkot will have 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension, to build a coalition.
Very likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Will Eisenkot secure the support of United Torah Judaism and Shas to reach exactly 61 seats?
- What will Netanyahu’s bloc do if Eisenkot succeeds in forming a government?
- How will Arab-led parties respond to being excluded from Eisenkot’s coalition calculations?
