Israeli President Isaac Herzog has selected former military chief and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to attempt to form the country’s next government, giving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s principal political challenger the first opportunity to assemble a parliamentary majority following an inconclusive general election.
Herzog informed Eisenkot of his decision on Saturday evening, November 7, after consultations with political parties represented in the Knesset. The formal appointment is scheduled to take place at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem on Sunday.
The decision marks an important moment in Israel’s political transition, but it does not mean Netanyahu has been removed from office or that Eisenkot has already secured the premiership. He must now negotiate with rival political factions and obtain sufficient support to establish a functioning government.
According to the president’s office, political factions representing 67 members of parliament recommended Eisenkot for the task, compared with 46 lawmakers who supported Netanyahu. Seven lawmakers did not recommend either candidate.
Election results leave parliament divided
The October 27 general election failed to produce a clear parliamentary majority, leaving Israel facing complicated coalition negotiations.
Eisenkot leads the Yashar party and a four-party alliance that secured 48 seats in the 120-member Knesset. Netanyahu’s broader right-wing and religious-nationalist bloc won 53 seats, despite Likud emerging as the largest individual party with 27 seats.
A government requires the support of at least 61 lawmakers to command a parliamentary majority.
The results also produced a significant outcome for Arab-led political parties, which collectively secured 19 seats. Their representatives endorsed Eisenkot during consultations with Herzog, helping him receive more recommendations than Netanyahu.
The recommendations played a central role in the president’s decision. However, parliamentary endorsements during the consultation process do not automatically translate into votes for a government when it faces a confidence test.
The political challenge is therefore far from resolved. Both major camps remain short of the number required to govern independently.
Eisenkot receives 28 days to negotiate
Under Israel’s government formation process, Eisenkot will initially have 28 days to negotiate a coalition. President Herzog can grant an additional extension of up to 14 days if the negotiations require more time.
During this period, Eisenkot will need to find common ground among parties with different political positions, security priorities and demands on domestic policy.
One possible route involves cooperation with Arab-led parties, whose combined parliamentary strength could provide the numbers needed for a majority. However, Eisenkot has ruled out forming a government directly with those parties, creating uncertainty over whether their support could be secured in another arrangement.
Another possibility involves negotiations with ultra-Orthodox parties, including Shas and United Torah Judaism. Their support could potentially help Eisenkot reach the 61-seat threshold, although political disagreements and competing demands could complicate such an agreement.
A minority government supported by parties from outside the coalition is another potential arrangement. However, such a government would face the challenge of maintaining parliamentary confidence and securing support for legislation.
Eisenkot has also faced disagreements within the wider opposition camp over the conditions under which different parties could participate in a government.
Netanyahu seeks to retain power
Netanyahu remains Israel’s longest-serving prime minister and is seeking to continue his political leadership despite the loss of his coalition’s parliamentary majority.
His Likud party won more seats than any other individual party in the election, but the combined strength of his wider political bloc was insufficient to reach the required majority.
Before Herzog announced his decision, Netanyahu called for a national unity government involving Zionist political factions. He also criticised the possibility of an administration relying on support from Arab-led parties.
The opposition has rejected Netanyahu’s appeal, arguing that a change in government is necessary after his long period in office and the political disagreements surrounding his administration.
If Eisenkot fails to form a government within the permitted period, Herzog may invite another candidate, potentially giving Netanyahu an opportunity to negotiate his own coalition.
If subsequent attempts also fail, Israel could face another general election. Until a new government is formally established, Netanyahu is expected to remain in a caretaker capacity.
Former military chief enters the centre of politics
Eisenkot, 66, served as chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces from 2015 to 2019. He entered parliamentary politics in 2022 and later became one of the prominent figures opposing Netanyahu’s government.
His military background has been central to his political identity, particularly on national security and regional threats.
Eisenkot also served as an observer in Netanyahu’s wartime cabinet during the first eight months following the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. He subsequently returned to the opposition.
His family has also been personally affected by the Gaza conflict. His son and two nephews were killed while serving in the fighting.
Although Eisenkot has presented himself as an alternative to Netanyahu’s leadership, his positions on several security questions remain hawkish. He has opposed Palestinian statehood and supported dismantling Hamas’s military capabilities.
He has also criticised violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and called for action against those responsible.
These positions illustrate that a potential change in Israel’s leadership would not necessarily mean a complete shift in the country’s security and regional policies.
Political negotiations could shape Israel’s next government
The coming weeks are expected to be dominated by negotiations over coalition membership, military service, domestic policy and the government’s approach to the conflict involving Palestinians and regional security challenges.
Arab-led parties have gained greater parliamentary influence following the election, but their role in a future government remains uncertain. Their support could become important in parliamentary calculations even if they are not formally included in a coalition.
For Netanyahu, the president’s decision represents a setback in his effort to remain in office. For Eisenkot, it begins a difficult political test that will require agreements among parties that have not always shared the same priorities.
The immediate question is whether Eisenkot can turn the recommendations he received from lawmakers into a stable parliamentary arrangement.
Israel now enters another phase of political negotiations, with the possibility of a new government dependent on the outcome of discussions over the next several weeks. Until those negotiations produce a successful confidence vote, Netanyahu remains prime minister and the country’s political future remains unsettled.
