Herzog Hands Eisenkot Mandate to Form Government, Putting Netanyahu's Rule on the line

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has decided to entrust Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar party and former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, with the task of forming the country's next government, following an inconclusive general election that left both major political blocs short of a parliamentary majority.

Herzog announced his decision on Saturday evening, following consultations with political parties and additional discussions with Eisenkot and outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Eisenkot received recommendations from representatives of 67 Knesset members, compared with 46 who supported Netanyahu. The remaining seven lawmakers, from United Torah Judaism (UTJ), did not recommend either candidate.

Eisenkot is scheduled to formally receive the mandate at the President's Residence on Sunday at 5 p.m. He will have 28 days to form a government, with the possibility of a 14-day extension.

The decision gives the opposition leader the first opportunity to assemble a coalition capable of replacing Netanyahu after years in power.

A Complicated Parliamentary Arithmetic

The October 27 election produced a fragmented political landscape.

Eisenkot's four-party opposition alliance secured 48 seats, while Netanyahu's right-wing and religious bloc won 53 seats. The two Arab political blocs, Ra'am and the Joint List, secured a combined 19 seats.

Although Eisenkot's supporters and the Arab parties together account for 67 Knesset members, the numbers do not automatically translate into a functioning coalition.

Eisenkot has previously expressed reservations about forming a government with Arab parties as formal coalition members. Their recommendations in his favor therefore do not necessarily constitute a commitment to join his government.

The central challenge is to find a parliamentary arrangement that can secure a confidence vote while accommodating the different political positions of the parties involved.

Ultra-Orthodox Parties Become Key to Coalition Negotiations

One of the most significant developments following the election has been the possibility of cooperation between Eisenkot's camp and the ultra-Orthodox parties.

United Torah Judaism, which holds seven seats, declined to recommend Netanyahu during the presidential consultations. Its position reflects growing tensions over legislation governing military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men.

The party has indicated that its support for a future government will depend on arrangements addressing the military draft issue.

Shas, which holds 11 seats, supported Netanyahu during the consultations. However, speculation has emerged about whether the party could eventually consider alternative political arrangements.

Shas has publicly denied reports that it has already agreed to join an Eisenkot-led coalition.

A potential agreement with both ultra-Orthodox parties could provide Eisenkot with the 61 seats required for a parliamentary majority, provided that the parties agree on military service legislation and other coalition demands.

Liberman Signals Flexibility on the Haredi Draft

A particularly important development concerns Avigdor Liberman, chairman of Yisrael Beytenu, who has indicated a willingness to reconsider his longstanding opposition to sitting in a government with ultra-Orthodox parties.

Liberman has said that the current political situation requires difficult decisions and compromises, including possible flexibility over the legislation governing Haredi military enlistment.

However, he has maintained three central conditions: the Netanyahu era must come to an end, Israel must avoid another election, and a future government must not depend on the support of the Joint List and Ra'am.

Liberman has also rejected suggestions that his flexibility represents a move toward a rotation agreement for the premiership with Eisenkot.

His position could open the door to negotiations with United Torah Judaism and potentially Shas, although substantial disagreements remain.

Netanyahu Calls for a National Unity Government

Netanyahu has responded to Herzog's decision by renewing his call for a broad national unity government.

In a public statement, the outgoing prime minister warned against establishing a government that depends on Arab political parties, which he accused of supporting forces hostile to Israel.

Netanyahu argued that the country needs political unity in light of the security challenges it faces.

Eisenkot's Yashar party, however, rejected Netanyahu's latest appeal as politically motivated.

The party indicated that Likud representatives would be welcome in a government led by Eisenkot, but only if Likud breaks with the far-right political forces, accepts Eisenkot's proposed governing principles and agrees to serve under his leadership.

The response leaves open the possibility of cooperation with parts of Likud while ruling out, at least for now, a conventional unity government with Netanyahu remaining prime minister.

Arab Parties Seek Political Influence

The Arab political parties have emerged as a central factor in the coalition negotiations.

Their combined 19 seats represent a significant parliamentary force and gave Eisenkot the largest number of recommendations during Herzog's consultations.

Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas has sought to position his party as a potential partner in efforts to establish a different governing arrangement.

The Joint List has also expressed support for replacing Netanyahu's government.

However, Eisenkot faces political resistance from some of his potential coalition partners, who oppose relying on Arab parties for parliamentary support.

One possible arrangement would be a minority government supported externally by Arab lawmakers without their parties formally joining the coalition.

Such a model would require agreements on parliamentary confidence votes and government legislation, while leaving the parties outside the government itself.

What Happens If Eisenkot Fails?

Under Israel's Basic Law: The Government, Eisenkot has 28 days to assemble a coalition. Herzog can grant him an additional 14 days.

If he fails, the president can assign the task to another Knesset member, who would receive 28 days without an additional extension.

If that attempt also fails, a further 21-day period allows at least 61 Knesset members to jointly nominate another candidate, who would then have 14 days to form a government.

If all attempts fail, the Knesset would be dissolved and Israel would head toward another election. Netanyahu would remain prime minister in a caretaker capacity until a new government takes office.

The newly elected 26th Knesset is expected to be sworn in on November 10, regardless of the outcome of the coalition negotiations.

A Critical Test for Israel's Political System

The coming weeks will test whether the parties that united around the objective of replacing Netanyahu can translate their electoral cooperation into a functioning government.

Eisenkot faces several competing demands: maintaining his commitments on security and military service, negotiating with the ultra-Orthodox parties, addressing the role of Arab lawmakers and deciding whether cooperation with elements of Likud is possible.

At the same time, Netanyahu remains a central political force and is expected to use his parliamentary bloc to challenge any alternative coalition.

Herzog's decision has established who gets the first opportunity to form a government. It has not yet resolved the fundamental political disagreements that produced the current deadlock.

The decisive question is whether Eisenkot can turn 67 recommendations into a stable parliamentary majority – and whether Israel's political parties are prepared to compromise sufficiently to establish a new government without returning to the ballot box.