Israeli president taps Eisenkot to form government

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Saturday night that he was giving opposition candidate Gadi Eisenkot the first opportunity to form a governing coalition following elections on Oct. 27.

Eisenkot, a former military chief, ran as the main challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, leading a bloc of parties seeking to oust Israel's longest-serving premier.

Neither Eisenkot nor Netanyahu won a clear majority in the vote. But in marathon discussions with the president this week, representatives from most of Israel's main parties recommended Eisenkot be tasked with assembling a new government.

Netanyahu's response

The announcement, which had been expected on Sunday, came shortly after Netanyahu called for a "national unity government" in a video statement and warned against "hastily swearing in a government with terrorist supporters" — an apparent reference to the Arab-led parties.

Netanyahu and his allies have repeatedly portrayed the Arab-led parties as a threat to national security, while Eisenkot has indicated a willingness to partner with them under certain conditions, including calling Hamas a terrorist group that needs to be destroyed.

Yashar party statement

Eisenkot's party, Yashar, slammed the prime minister's video with a statement posted on X and urged members of his party, Likud, to disavow their alliance with "radical parties," in an apparent reference to the more extreme parties in his religious-nationalist base.

The statement argued that Eisenkot would only include parties and parliament members who support its principles, including recognizing Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Why it matters

The task of forming a government now falls to Eisenkot rather than the incumbent prime minister, marking a setback for Netanyahu after the Oct. 27 election.

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Sources

• npr.org: Israel’s president taps opposition candidate Eisenkot to form a government, in setback for Netanyahu : NPR
• globalnews.ca: Israel’s president taps opposition candidate Eisenkot to form government - National | Globalnews.ca

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