Gadi Eisenkot green-lit by Israeli pres to form government, gets 28 days to do it

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has tasked former military chief Gadi Eisenkot with forming the country’s next government, giving him 28 days to assemble a governing coalition that could end Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership. Eisenkot, whose Yashar party won 21 seats in last month’s election, will need to secure support from additional parties to reach the 61 seats required for a majority in Israel's 120-member parliament, known as the Knesset.

The October election failed to result in a clear majority, leaving Netanyahu’s bloc and the opposition short of what is needed to form a government. Eisenkot’s opposition bloc secured 48 total seats, while Netanyahu’s coalition secured 53. Two Arab parties won a record 19 combined seats, giving Eisenkot a potential path should he secure their support.

Herzog announced his decision on Saturday following consultations with representatives of the political parties in the Knesset. According to the president’s office, factions representing 67 lawmakers recommended Eisenkot for the task.

“During the round of consultations, factions totaling 67 members of Knesset recommended to President Herzog that Yashar Leader Gadi Eisenkot be tasked with forming the government,” the president’s office said in a statement. “Factions totaling 46 members of Knesset recommended Prime Minister and Likud Leader Benjamin Netanyahu.”

Under Israeli law, Eisenkot will have 28 days to form a government, with the possibility of receiving an additional 14 days if necessary. One possible route would be securing the backing of the two Arab parties, Ra’am and the Joint List. However, Eisenkot’s political allies have resisted such an option, a report by the Washington Post noted.

Another possibility would be to reach an agreement with ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, which hold a combined 13 seats. This may also prove difficult, as they oppose compulsory military service while Eisenkot and other allies have made mandatory conscription a major part of their platform.

Eisenkot could also pursue a broader unity government involving Netanyahu's Likud party. However, he had made clear he would not support an arrangement that keeps Netanyahu as prime minister.

“Those who have divided and torn apart Israeli society from within only mention the word ‘unity’ when they realize their time in office is coming to an end,” Eisenkot said in a post on X. “Unity is an important value for Israel, and Netanyahu has systematically and resolutely worked against it, even during the most difficult war in our history.”