Israeli President Isaac Herzog has formally tasked opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming the country’s next government after an inconclusive parliamentary election left neither the opposition nor Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc with a clear majority.
Eisenkot, a former chief of the Israel Defense Forces and leader of the Yashar party, received the mandate at a ceremony at the presidential residence in Jerusalem on Sunday, 8 November. He now has 28 days to assemble a governing coalition, with the possibility of a further 14-day extension from the president.
The appointment gives Eisenkot the first opportunity to replace Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, but does not guarantee that he will become the country’s next leader. He must secure the support of at least 61 members of the 120-seat Knesset to establish a government capable of winning a confidence vote.
The election, held on 27 October, produced a fragmented parliament and left coalition negotiations dependent on parties whose political positions and campaign commitments have made cooperation difficult.
Herzog said consultations with representatives of the incoming parliament had resulted in 67 recommendations for Eisenkot to form the government, compared with 46 for Netanyahu. The president said Eisenkot had demonstrated the stronger chance of securing the confidence of the Knesset.
The decision reflects parliamentary support for giving Eisenkot the first attempt, rather than a direct transfer of power. Netanyahu and his outgoing government remain in office in a caretaker capacity while the coalition process continues.
Election leaves parliament divided
The election results underline the scale of the challenge facing both political camps.
Netanyahu’s Likud party and its right-wing and ultra-Orthodox allies secured 53 seats. Eisenkot’s centrist Yashar party and three other Jewish opposition parties in his bloc won 48 seats.
Two Arab-led political alliances, the United Arab List, also known as Ra’am, and the Joint List, secured a combined 19 seats. Their performance followed increased turnout among Arab citizens of Israel and gave them significant influence over the coalition arithmetic.
Neither of the two main blocs reached the 61-seat threshold required for a parliamentary majority.
The Arab-led parties have therefore emerged as potential kingmakers. Ra’am has indicated that it is prepared to support Eisenkot, while the Joint List has offered support from outside a governing coalition in an effort to prevent Netanyahu from remaining in power.
However, such an arrangement would involve substantial political compromises. Eisenkot and most of his opposition partners have previously opposed forming a government dependent on Arab-led parties. One of the key partners in his bloc, Yisrael Beytenu, has said it would not join a coalition with them.
The parties’ recommendations to Herzog also do not automatically commit them to joining Eisenkot’s government or supporting every measure it proposes.
Difficult choices over ultra-Orthodox parties
Another possible route involves negotiations with ultra-Orthodox parties, particularly United Torah Judaism (UTJ), which declined to recommend either Eisenkot or Netanyahu during the presidential consultations.
The party’s position has attracted attention because its support could help determine whether an alternative government can be formed. Opposition leaders have begun considering cooperation with ultra-Orthodox parties, despite previously treating such an arrangement as politically difficult.
The central obstacle is military service.
Eisenkot and his partners campaigned on the need for a more equal system of military, national or civil service. They have called for an end to long-standing exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men studying in religious institutions.
The religious parties, by contrast, have sought to preserve those exemptions, describing them as essential to their community’s religious way of life.
The issue has become particularly contentious after years of conflict and military mobilisation, with demands for a more equitable distribution of national service gaining prominence in Israeli politics.
Eisenkot has outlined four principles for parties seeking to join his proposed government. These include recognition of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, acceptance of its Declaration of Independence, support for military, national or civil service for all citizens, and recognition of Hamas as a terrorist organisation.
It remains uncertain whether all potential coalition partners will accept those conditions.
Coalition negotiations begin as new Knesset convenes
Eisenkot’s efforts to build a government moved into a new phase on Tuesday, 10 November, as the 26th Knesset convened for its inaugural session and swearing-in ceremony.
The new parliament includes 47 first-time lawmakers. Its opening session marks the formal start of the legislative term, while political parties continue discussions over the formation of a governing coalition.
According to reporting by The Jerusalem Post, Eisenkot met with Yair Lapid, leader of the B’Yachad party, and Yair Golan of the Democrats as part of efforts to coordinate the opposition’s position and advance coalition negotiations.
The bloc has also begun discussing key parliamentary positions, including the allocation of responsibilities within the new Knesset.
The meetings indicate that negotiations are moving beyond the initial presidential consultations towards practical arrangements between potential partners. However, coordination among opposition parties does not by itself resolve the question of how they will secure a majority.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, retains the support of his existing right-wing allies and is seeking to prevent the formation of an opposition-led government. The prime minister has also called for a national unity arrangement, although the terms of any such agreement and the willingness of opposition parties to participate remain uncertain.
The immediate political contest is therefore not simply between two leaders but over the composition of a coalition and the compromises required to sustain it.
A possible unity government or another election
Several scenarios remain possible.
Eisenkot could attempt to form a government with support from Arab-led parties, potentially relying on external parliamentary backing rather than including them as full coalition partners. He could also negotiate with ultra-Orthodox factions, although disagreements over military-service exemptions would have to be addressed.
A broader unity government involving Netanyahu and members of the opposition is another possibility. Israel has previously used power-sharing arrangements to overcome political deadlock, including the 2020 agreement between Netanyahu and Benny Gantz.
But any new arrangement would require political concessions from leaders who have campaigned against one another and have sharply different positions on the country’s domestic and security priorities.
If Eisenkot fails to form a government within the allotted period, he can inform Herzog that his attempt has been unsuccessful. The president may then give another member of the Knesset an opportunity to assemble a coalition. If subsequent attempts also fail, the country could face another election.
Until a new government wins the confidence of parliament and takes office, the outgoing administration remains responsible for governing in a caretaker capacity.
Security and regional policy add to the stakes
The coalition negotiations are taking place against a difficult security backdrop.
Israel remains engaged in conflict-related operations involving Gaza and Lebanon, while the wider confrontation involving Iran and the United States continues to shape regional calculations.
The next government will inherit questions over military strategy, ceasefire arrangements, relations with Washington, the future of Gaza and security along Israel’s northern border. It will also face domestic pressure over military recruitment, public confidence and the distribution of national responsibilities.
Herzog called for a government capable of bringing greater unity to a deeply divided society. At the mandate ceremony, he urged Eisenkot to use his military leadership experience and political judgement to serve all sections of the population.
For Eisenkot, the immediate task is more narrowly defined: convert the 67 recommendations he received into a working parliamentary majority. The number demonstrates that he has the strongest initial claim to attempt government formation, but the coalition negotiations will determine whether that support can become a viable administration.
The mandate has opened a path to a possible change of government in Israel. Whether Eisenkot can complete that process will depend on his ability to reconcile political commitments that, until recently, appeared difficult to bring together.
