Israeli President Herzog to Announce Government Formation Mandate After Majority Backs Eisenkot

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog announced on Thursday that he will select a candidate to form the country's next government by Sunday. The decision follows a series of marathon consultations with parties elected to the 120-seat Knesset, according to Al Jazeera English and The Guardian.

During the discussions, opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot secured endorsements from 67 lawmakers, while incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received 46 endorsements. Despite the majority backing for Eisenkot, Herzog stated in televised remarks that mutual vetoes both within and between political blocs complicate the process of determining which candidate possesses the best opportunity to assemble a stable governing coalition.

The October 27 election concluded without a clear parliamentary majority for either leader. Netanyahu’s Likud party secured 27 seats, but his wider religious-nationalist coalition dropped to 53 total seats. Meanwhile, Eisenkot’s alliance captured 48 seats. Parties representing Israel’s Palestinian minority secured an unprecedented 19 seats, with the Joint List holding 11 and Ra'am holding eight.

Both Eisenkot and Netanyahu have ruled out formally including Arab-led parties in a governing coalition. However, both Palestinian-minority parties recommended Eisenkot to the presidency. Ahmad Tibi, a senior member of the Joint List, told The Associated Press that the faction aimed to remove the current administration, while Ra’am indicated willingness to join a new government under Eisenkot. Conversely, United Torah Judaism, an ultra-Orthodox party and longtime ally of Netanyahu, declined to endorse either candidate.

Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff, has placed specific conditions on any prospective arrangements with Arab factions, requiring them to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, accept compulsory national or civil service, and denounce Hamas. Yousef Jabareen, a leader of the main Palestinian coalition, acknowledged policy disagreements with Eisenkot but stated that voters sought change following the previous administration.

Herzog stated that he will conduct personal discussions with several party leaders over the weekend before making his final selection on Sunday.