Eisenkot Secures Majority of Knesset Recommendations for Government Formation

Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Ya'ad party, has gained a lead in consultations for forming the next Israeli government, securing recommendations from 67 Knesset members. This surpasses the 46 recommendations received by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following the Joint List's endorsement of Eisenkot. Israeli media reported that Eisenkot's support increased after the Joint List, comprising 11 Knesset members, joined the backing of opposition parties and the United Arab List (Ra'am), which had previously declared its support. The Haredi party United Torah Judaism abstained from recommending any candidate, despite holding seven Knesset seats, reducing the number of recommendations Netanyahu is expected to receive to 46. The Joint List announced on Thursday its decision to recommend Eisenkot to President Yitzhak Herzog, stating the move was unanimous and aimed at preventing Netanyahu's return to power. The party acknowledged reservations about the opposition's stance, noting a lack of sufficient readiness to confront Netanyahu's policies, incitement against Arab citizens, and efforts to question the legitimacy of their political choices. Despite surpassing the 61-seat majority threshold with 67 recommendations, these endorsements do not guarantee Eisenkot will form the next government, as they do not represent a commitment from supporting parties to join a coalition under his leadership. The Israeli President, Yitzhak Herzog, will select the Knesset member tasked with forming the government after consultations with parliamentary blocs. The designated individual has 28 days to complete the task, with a possible 14-day extension. The next phase will focus on the ability of political factions to convert parliamentary recommendations into coalition agreements that enable the formation of a government with Knesset confidence.