Israeli Parties Advise Herzog on Coalition Building

Israeli President Isaac Herzog is consulting with parliamentary factions regarding the formation of a new government, with recommendations split between Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot. As of the consultations, Eisenkot received recommendations from at least 56 Knesset members, while Netanyahu secured 46. The United Torah Judaism bloc announced it would not recommend any candidate, citing unresolved issues regarding the status of yeshiva students. The Religious Zionism party, Shas, Zehut, and Otzma Yehudit, led by Itamar Ben-Gvir, all recommended Netanyahu. Conversely, the Yisrael Beiteinu party recommended Eisenkot, and the United Arab List declared its support for his nomination. During a meeting with Herzog, MK Oded Forer of Yisrael Beiteinu reiterated his party's pre-election stances, emphasizing that while avoiding further elections is crucial, they would not compromise their principles. Forer stated that the current government had not taken responsibility for the events of October 7th and that his party would not grant them another term, though he indicated a willingness to work with elements within the Likud party to help Eisenkot form a government. Zehut's chairman, Moshe Feiglin, recommended Netanyahu but raised "serious doubts" about the election's legitimacy due to alleged foreign interference. Herzog acknowledged these concerns, stating that relevant authorities are investigating the allegations and that a distinction must be made between suspicion and proven facts. Shai Malka, Director General of Zehut, clarified that their recommendation of Netanyahu does not preclude participation in a government aligned with their principles and focused on preventing a recurrence of the October 7th events.