Herzog tasks Eisenkot with forming government after election stalemate

Following an election that ended in a stalemate, Israeli President Isaac Herzog has selected Gadi Eisenkot, the leading challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to lead efforts to build a new government. The Guardian ^[1] reported that Herzog’s office communicated this intention to Eisenkot, the head of the Yashar party, on Saturday evening, with the official ceremony set for Sunday at the presidential residence in Jerusalem.

This development represents a major challenge for Netanyahu, whose religious-nationalist alliance failed to secure a majority in the October 27 vote, despite remaining the largest bloc in the Knesset. Sky News ^[2] characterized the president’s decision as a significant setback for the incumbent leader. According to the BBC ^[3], Eisenkot has been granted 28 days to form a coalition, with the possibility of a 14-day extension.

Eisenkot, who served as military chief of staff from 2015 to 2019, secured 67 recommendations for the premiership during party consultations, compared to 46 for Netanyahu, as noted by the BBC ^[3]. His centrist Yashar party and associated opposition groups won 48 seats, while Netanyahu’s camp obtained 53 out of the 120 seats. ABC News (AU) ^[5] pointed out that Herzog spent the weekend deliberating due to concerns over deep-seated divisions among parties regarding cooperation with Arab-led lists.

These Arab-majority alliances, specifically the United Arab List and the Joint List, secured an unprecedented 19 seats, placing them in a pivotal position as potential kingmakers. CBS News ^[6] stated that Din Livne, the acting director-general of the Central Elections Committee, rejected claims of foreign interference in the election as unfounded. Netanyahu had accused Arab countries of interfering, but Livne confirmed there was no evidence to support allegations that the election's integrity had been compromised.

Eisenkot has pledged to unite the nation after what he termed Netanyahu’s divisive leadership and to take action against extremist West Bank settlers, whom he described as engaging in "Jewish terror" ^[1]. However, the Mirror ^[4] highlighted that Eisenkot is not a pacifist; he opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state and has committed to dismantling Hamas’s military wing. The Guardian outlined his "Dahiya doctrine," developed during the 2006 war, which proposes using overwhelming force against civilian infrastructure in Hezbollah-controlled areas.

While a national unity government involving both leaders remains a theoretical possibility, as does a right-wing coalition including defectors from Eisenkot’s bloc, the primary path forward requires Eisenkot to navigate complex political alliances. The BBC ^[3] reported that Herzog urged representatives to recognize that not all pre-election promises could be kept in order to avoid another election. With all but one Jewish party previously pledging not to collaborate with Arab lists, the political landscape remains precarious as Eisenkot begins his 28-day mandate.