Israeli president picks Eisenkot to try to form government

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has chosen former military chief Gadi Eisenkot to try to form a new government, according to a statement from Herzog's office released on Saturday.

The selection

Herzog's statement said Eisenkot was informed of the president's "intention to task him with forming a government" and would be invited to the president's residence, where a formal ceremony will take place on Sunday. The move follows the October 27 parliamentary election, which left neither Eisenkot nor Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a clear path to building a majority.

The political context

Eisenkot leads the centrist Yashar party and heads an anti-Netanyahu alliance. Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving leader, is fighting to hold onto office after his religious-nationalist coalition lost its majority in the October 27 election but still emerged as the largest bloc in parliament. Netanyahu ruled out working with Arab parties to gain a majority. The Arab-led Ra-am party announced during the week that it had recommended Eisenkot to be next prime minister, and Arab leaders nominated Eisenkot during marathon talks with President Isaac Herzog.

What comes next

The selection is the first step toward what will almost certainly be complicated coalition talks. Neither Eisenkot's nor Netanyahu's blocs secured a majority, with both falling short of the required 61 seats.

Why it matters

The choice of Eisenkot opens the possibility of a new government after a deadlocked election, but coalition negotiations remain uncertain.

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Sources

• dw.com: Israeli president picks Gadi Eisenkot to form government
• france24.com: Israeli president picks Netanyahu's rival Eisenkot to try to form government - France 24

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.