Israeli President Tasks Opposition Leader Gadi Eisenkot With Forming New Government

JERUSALEM — Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has been given the mandate to form a new government following October parliamentary elections in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling coalition lost its majority.

President Isaac Herzog selected Eisenkot, a former military chief, on Saturday after completing formal consultations with political parties. Neither Eisenkot nor Netanyahu holds the required 61-seat majority in the 120-member Knesset, setting off a critical coalition-building phase that could reshape Israel’s political landscape.

Under Israeli law, Eisenkot has 28 days to assemble a governing coalition, with the possibility of a 14-day extension if he falls short within the initial period. Should he fail, President Herzog could turn to Netanyahu, or parliament could nominate another candidate. If no administration emerges after 100 days, Israelis could face fresh elections.

Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition saw its standing drop significantly, falling from 64 seats secured in the 2022 elections to 53 seats. While Likud remains the largest individual party with 27 seats, Netanyahu’s traditional allies experienced mixed fortunes; Shas backed the incumbent prime minister during consultations, while United Torah Judaism declined to endorse any candidate.

Eisenkot’s potential coalition bloc controls 48 seats, spanning his Yashar party, which won 21 seats; the centre-left Democrats led by Yair Golan; Naftali Bennett’s centre-right Together party; and Avigdor Lieberman’s right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu.

Additionally, Arab-led parties Ra’am and the Joint List, which jointly hold 19 seats, have endorsed Eisenkot’s bid. With their support, the broader anti-Netanyahu camp reaches a combined 67 seats, though forming a stable working administration across such ideologically diverse factions remains complex.

Eisenkot previously served in Netanyahu’s wartime cabinet before leaving the government. Several members of his opposition bloc have prior experience in senior government roles, including participation in the coalition that briefly removed Netanyahu from power in 2021.