Gadi Eizenkot receives mandate to form Israeli government

Following the October 27 parliamentary elections which failed to produce a clear majority, Israeli President Isaac Herzog has officially tasked opposition leader Gadi Eizenkot with forming the next government. Eizenkot, who leads the centrist Yashar party, secured the backing of 67 out of 120 Knesset members during consultations, compared to 46 for outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The remaining seven seats, held by the United Torah Judaism party, chose not to endorse any candidate.

Despite his numerical lead in recommendations, Eizenkot faces significant hurdles, as his core opposition bloc holds only 48 seats. To secure a governing majority, he must navigate deep divisions over the potential role of Arab parties. The Ra'am party has indicated a willingness to support an Eizenkot government, while the Joint List has expressed a preference for neutrality. Meanwhile, Netanyahu has warned that a coalition involving Arab parties would pose an existential threat to the state.

Eizenkot has been granted an initial period of 28 days to finalize a coalition, with a potential 14-day extension available if needed. He has publicly called for a national emergency government, urging the Likud party to join him provided they abandon their current extremist allies.