Israeli President to Begin Coalition Consultations, Netanyahu's Future Uncertain

Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog is set to begin consultations with parties that won seats in the 26th Knesset on Wednesday, November 4th, a process that could lead to a change in the prime ministership, potentially ending Benjamin Netanyahu's tenure. The president will officially receive the election results from Central Election Commission Chairman, Judge Noam Solberg, at noon, as stipulated by Basic Law: The Government. Consultations with party representatives will commence at 5:00 PM on Wednesday and continue through Thursday, November 5th. Unconventionally, Herzog will start meetings with smaller parties, signaling an effort to explore diverse coalition options and unconventional paths to government formation. He aims to assess all party positions and potential coalition arrangements. If necessary, additional consultation rounds will be held before a Member of Knesset is tasked with forming a new government, a process with an initial 28-day deadline and a possible 14-day extension. Security concerns are being considered, with contingency plans for holding meetings elsewhere. Herzog is expected to assign the government formation task between November 6th and 10th. If coalition prospects remain unclear, further consultations may occur. Initial recommendations suggest Gadi Eisenkot, leader of Yashar, could receive support from 48 MKs across four parties, while Netanyahu might be backed by 46 MKs from Likud, Otzma Yehudit, Shas, and Religious Zionism. The Arab list, Ra'am, and United Torah Judaism have not yet declared their recommendations. If they abstain from recommending a candidate, Eisenkot is likely to be given the first opportunity to form a government, potentially sidelining Netanyahu. Yashar has previously explored the possibility of forming a minority government with external parliamentary support from Ra'am and United Torah Judaism.