Israeli political impasse follows government formation mandate

Following recent elections, Israeli President Isaac Herzog has tasked opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming a new government. Eisenkot, supported by 67 lawmakers, has 28 days to complete this process. Outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to challenge this transition, calling for a national unity government led by his Likud party, which he claims received 250,000 more votes than Eisenkot’s Yashar party. Netanyahu has firmly ruled out any coalition involving Arab parties, labeling them supporters of Hamas and arguing that such a government would be unable to address security threats from Iran and radical Islam.

Meanwhile, the new Israeli parliament convened on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. Despite the ongoing coalition negotiations, the Knesset is proceeding with its legislative agenda. Opposition members are prioritizing the establishment of an independent commission to investigate the security failures surrounding the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, as well as reviewing various legislative acts. Analysts from the Israel Democracy Institute note that the absence of a permanent government does not hinder the parliament's authority to act due to the principle of separation of powers.