Israeli President Isaac Herzog has tasked Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot with forming the country’s next government after he secured the support of a majority of Knesset members, in a major political setback for incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The decision was announced on Saturday following consultations between Herzog and representatives of political factions in the 120-member Knesset. Eisenkot, a former chief of staff of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), received recommendations from lawmakers representing 67 seats, crossing the 61-seat threshold required for a working majority.
Eisenkot will now have up to six weeks to negotiate with prospective allies, finalise coalition agreements and secure parliamentary approval to form the next government. The development follows last month’s elections, which reshaped the political contest between Netanyahu and his rivals.
Gadi Eisenkot gets backing of 67 Knesset members
In a statement released on social media platform X, the Office of the President of Israel confirmed that Herzog had decided to task Eisenkot with forming the government after completing consultations with political factions. The statement said that factions representing 67 Knesset members recommended Eisenkot, while 46 lawmakers backed Netanyahu. Another seven members chose not to recommend any candidate.
The president also invited Eisenkot to the President’s Residence for the mandate-conferral ceremony, scheduled for Sunday, November 8, at 5 pm local time. Eisenkot’s support came from the Jewish-led opposition bloc, comprising 48 seats across Yashar, Together, The Democrats and Yisrael Beiteinu. The Ra’am party contributed eight seats, while the Arab-led Joint List recommended him with its 11 seats.
Netanyahu receives 46 recommendations
Netanyahu, who leads the Likud party, received recommendations from lawmakers representing 46 seats. This was lower than the 53-seat total of his right-wing bloc following the election, after the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party chose not to endorse any candidate.
The party’s decision to abstain from recommending either Eisenkot or Netanyahu marked a significant development in its long-standing alliance with the incumbent prime minister. The recommendations placed Eisenkot ahead of Netanyahu in the presidential consultations, paving the way for him to receive the mandate to form the next government.
What happens next?
Following the formal transfer of the mandate, Eisenkot will have a statutory period of up to six weeks to negotiate with potential coalition partners and put together a government capable of securing parliamentary approval. The process will require him to reach agreements with the parties that backed his candidacy and build a viable majority in the Knesset.
Eisenkot, a retired military chief who led the centrist Yashar bloc during the parliamentary elections, has also outlined a four-point framework for an emergency administration. His proposals include recognising Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, upholding the Declaration of Independence, introducing universal national and military conscription, and dismantling the military and political wings of Hamas. The presidential decision marks a significant turn in Israel’s political landscape, with Eisenkot now facing the task of translating the parliamentary recommendations into a functioning coalition government.
(With inputs from ANI)
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