Jerusalem Daily: Eisenkot picked over Netanyahu to form government
Israel's president picks Gadi Eisenkot to form the next government, passing over Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has given opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot the first opportunity to form the next Israeli government following the October 27 election. Eisenkot, who ran as a rival to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, now faces the challenge of negotiating a coalition with potential partners. He has six weeks to form a government, which requires at least 61 seats in the 120-member Knesset.
Among the key challenges Eisenkot faces are forming a coalition with Arab-led parties, who gained significant seats in the election, and the ultra-Orthodox parties, who have demanded military exemptions for their community. Eisenkot has stated that any coalition partners must support Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, its declaration of independence, military service, and recognizing Hamas as a terrorist organization.
While the announcement does not guarantee Eisenkot will become prime minister, it represents a significant setback for Netanyahu, who lost his parliamentary majority in the election.
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