Israeli President Isaac Herzog chose opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to try to form a government after no bloc won a majority in the Knesset. (Foto: Instagram)
Israeli President Isaac Herzog selected Gadi Eisenkot, Benjamin Netanyahu’s leading election opponent, to try to form a new government. The decision came as political blocs worked to assemble a majority in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. The Presidency said the formal announcement was expected Sunday morning, Nov. 8, local time.
Israel held parliamentary elections in late October, with results announced Oct. 29. No bloc won the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset. Herzog met with Netanyahu, then prime minister, and Eisenkot before making his choice. The president is not required to select the leader of the bloc with the most elected lawmakers; the deciding factor is who he believes has the best chance of securing enough support to form a government.
Israeli voters choose party lists rather than directly electing the head of government. The leader who can gather sufficient backing in parliament forms a coalition and leads the government. Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats, while the main opposition group led by Eisenkot secured 48. Parties representing Israel’s Arab minority won the remaining 19 seats, increasing their representation compared with the 2022 election.
In recent days, leading Arab-Israeli parties endorsed Eisenkot. With that backing added, his opposition bloc had the support of 67 lawmakers, according to the report. After the formal announcement, the bloc will have 28 days to form a government. Israeli law allows the president to grant an extension of up to 14 additional days if needed.
