Eisenkot Poised to Form Israeli Government After Securing 67 Knesset Recommendations

Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, is expected to be tasked with forming Israel's next government after securing the support of 67 out of 120 Knesset members. This majority of recommendations came after Arab parties, including Ra'am and the Unified List, announced their support, aiming to prevent Benjamin Netanyahu's return to power. While these parties acknowledged significant policy differences with Eisenkot and other opposition factions, they view this move as a potential catalyst for political change.

Eisenkot's backing also includes four Jewish opposition parties: Yashar (21 seats), Naftali Bennett's Beyahad (12 seats), Yair Golan's Democrats (8 seats), and Avigdor Lieberman's Israel Beitenou (7 seats). These 48 seats, combined with the 19 from Arab parties, bring his total recommendations to 67. In contrast, Netanyahu is expected to receive 46 recommendations, with the United Torah Judaism party abstaining from supporting any candidate despite its alignment with the outgoing Prime Minister.

President Isaac Herzog, concluding his consultations with political parties, is anticipated to assign the coalition-building mandate to Eisenkot. He can grant this mandate before the November 11 deadline, giving Eisenkot 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension, to form a government. However, securing recommendations does not guarantee a successful coalition, as Bennett and Lieberman have expressed reservations about a government reliant on Arab parties.

Eisenkot faces the challenge of bridging significant political divides and potentially securing additional support or forming a minority government with external backing. Should he fail, the President might task another lawmaker, potentially leading to further political uncertainty. Eisenkot has won the initial recommendation battle but must now translate this circumstantial majority into a governing coalition.