Israeli president asks Netanyahu rival Gadi Eisenkot to try to form government

On 28 October, Israel's President Isaac Herzog selected Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief and strongest rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to attempt forming a new government. The election held on 27 October had resulted in a deadlock, with neither Netanyahu's religious-nationalist coalition nor Eisenkot's Yashar party securing a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.

Prior to the election, Arab leaders nominated Eisenkot, hoping his support would surpass the required 61-seat majority. The president personally met with both Eisenkot and Netanyahu to deliberate on the nomination. Eisenkot, lacking an outright majority, would have 28 days to form a government, with a potential extension of 14 days.

His possible routes to power include forming a minority government with support from the Arab parties, cooperating with ultra-Orthodox parties, or creating a unity government with Netanyahu. However, experts believe all three options are improbable. If Eisenkot cannot form a government, another can be nominated, and if that also fails, another election will be held within 100 days.

The last election resulted in Likud securing 27 seats, while Netanyahu's coalition gathered 53 seats, falling short of the 61-seat majority needed for a government. Eisenkot's party, Yashar, emerged as the second-largest with 21 seats, while his coalition, consisting of four center-left to right-wing Jewish-led parties, garnered just 48 seats. The Arab minority parties won an unprecedented 19 seats.