Israeli President Tasks Gadi Eisenkot With Forming Government

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has chosen Gadi Eisenkot to take the first step toward establishing a new government following a very tight race in the October parliamentary elections. According to an official announcement from the president's office, Eisenkot was notified of the plan on Saturday evening and will attend a formal ceremony at the presidential residence on Sunday.

The decision arrives after a neck-and-neck contest between the centrist alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot and the block led by longtime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The anti-Netanyahu coalition secured 48 seats in the 120-seat parliament, whereas Netanyahu's camp managed to win 53 seats.

Meanwhile, Arab parties achieved a record-breaking result by taking 19 seats in the legislature. Although both major blocs initially stated they would avoid depending on Arab parties during the campaign, leaders from the Arab majority lists announced later in the week that they would back Eisenkot for the role of prime minister.

President Herzog tasked Gadi Eisenkot with forming a government following a tight election race.

Political reliance on Arab factions remains controversial in the nation, though precedent exists from previous administrations. The government headed by Yitzhak Rabin depended on Arab party support from the opposition until his assassination in 1995, and the Ra'am party participated in the coalition led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid between 2021 and 2022.

Navigating Coalition Talks

Eisenkot now faces a challenging political landscape and must navigate complex negotiations involving various Arab and ultra-Orthodox factions. He has a window of 28 days to gather the necessary 61 votes required to establish a majority. President Herzog holds the authority to grant a 14-day extension if the candidate falls short. Should all attempts fail, the country will likely face another round of elections.

Why it matters

This presidential decision marks the beginning of what are expected to be difficult coalition negotiations that could potentially end Benjamin Netanyahu's tenure as the country's longest-serving premier. The outcome will shape the political direction of the nation and determine whether a new leadership alliance can successfully secure a parliamentary majority.