{
  "id": 18884840,
  "title": "An impossible equation: Eisenkot won the mandate, but can he secure a coalition? - analysis",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/08/an-impossible-equation-eisenkot-won-the-mandate-but-can-he-secure-a",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-08T07:26:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-914170"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "President Isaac Herzog appointed Gadi Eisenkot to form Israel's next government following a count of the 67 MKs who recommended him. Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar party, received 67 votes, while Benjamin Netanyahu garnered 46 votes and seven abstained. Despite his strong mandate, Eisenkot faces a significant challenge: forming a stable coalition with the required 61 MKs. The disagreements among potential coalition partners, particularly over the conscription law and haredi conscription, have proven insurmountable. Eisenkot's potential partners include the Zionist change bloc, which holds 48 seats, United Torah Judaism, and Shas. However, Shas chairman Arye Deri has recommended Netanyahu, making it unlikely for Shas to join any coalition with Eisenkot. Moreover, Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman has given Eisenkot his backing but has insisted on certain conditions, including no rotation agreement and open negotiations on conscription. The haredi parties, traditionally aligned with Liberman, also have a history of cooperation with Yisrael Beytenu, creating a potential trust gap. If Eisenkot pursues a minority government, haredi parties are expected to oppose it, further complicating the coalition-building process. Eisenkot has outlined four principles for his government, but the haredi parties demand legislation regulating the status of yeshiva students, while the Zionist coalition partners want substantial haredi enlistment and equality in shouldering the burden. With these obstacles in mind, Eisenkot's coalition-building efforts remain uncertain.",
  "summary": "The disagreements among his potential coalition partners are so deep that Herzog himself sought clarification over the weekend on how Eisenkot intends to overcome them.",
  "key_points": [
    "Gadi Eisenkot appointed to form Israel's next government",
    "Coalition formation faces challenges with 61 MKs required",
    "Shas chairman Arye Deri recommended Netanyahu, complicating coalition"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Eisenkot's formal mandate faces a practical deadlock as deep ideological divides over conscription laws prevent the necessary alignment between his potential secular allies and the influential haredi parties.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}