President Herzog tasks Gadi Eisenkot with forming Israeli coalition
President Isaac Herzog assigned opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot the mandate to form a governing coalition in Israel after the November 3 election left the Knesset without a clear majority. Herzog gave Eisenkot 28 days to assemble a coalition under Israel's post-election rules, according to Euronews. Reuters also reported that the president tasked the former military chief with the job. Earlier in the process, Shas said it was open to talks with Eisenkot while United Torah Judaism weighed abstaining from the prime-minister recommendation, i24NEWS reported.
Avigdor Liberman of Yisrael Beiteinu announced he would no longer block a coalition that includes ultra-Orthodox parties, allowing talks with United Torah Judaism, the Jerusalem Post said. Liberman later said he would relax his demand for universal conscription and set red lines that include ending Benjamin Netanyahu’s term, also reported by the Jerusalem Post. Eisenkot said negotiations were progressing after Liberman signaled willingness to discuss the ultra-Orthodox draft issue, France 24 noted.
