President Herzog appoints opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to attempt coalition formation
Israel's president has tasked former military chief Gadi Eisenkot with forming a government after a fragmented election, giving him up to six weeks to assemble a coalition.
President Isaac Herzog invited former military chief Gadi Eisenkot to the President’s Residence on Saturday, assigning him the task of forming a new government after the October 27 election left the Knesset without a clear majority. Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist bloc remained the largest parliamentary grouping but fell short of the 61 seats needed for a governing coalition.
Eisenkot, who leads the Yashar party, declined to join forces with Arab parties, although their support would give him a parliamentary majority. Arab leaders, however, nominated him first, granting him the most endorsements among potential candidates.
The spokesperson for President Herzog said Eisenkot has 28 days to negotiate a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension. Options under consideration include a minority government with external Arab support, a coalition with ultra-Orthodox parties, or a unity arrangement with Netanyahu. Analysts consider all three scenarios unlikely.
If Eisenkot fails, another candidate may be given the mandate; if subsequent attempts also fail, a new election could be called after roughly 100 days. In the 120-seat Knesset, Likud secured 27 seats, while Eisenkot’s Yashar party won 21. Two Arab parties together obtained 19 seats, an unprecedented share.
Eisenkot, 66, would be the first prime minister from Israel’s Mizrahi community. He entered politics in 2022, briefly served in Netanyahu’s wartime cabinet after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, and then returned to the opposition, publicly criticizing Netanyahu’s handling of the Gaza conflict. Eisenkot’s family has suffered personal losses in the war, with a son and two nephews killed in Gaza.
During his campaign, Eisenkot emphasized his security background, referencing the “Dahiyeh doctrine” he applied as a commander in the 2006 Lebanon war. He has also spoken against settler violence toward Palestinians and opposed the far-right coalition partners Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.