Israeli President to Tap Lawmaker for Government Formation Sunday

By שירות גלובס

Translated & summarized from Globes by baba

BusinessNeutral tone

Hebrew · 4 newsrooms covering

President Isaac Herzog will task a lawmaker with forming a government on Sunday after consultations concluded. Gadi Eisenkot received recommendations from 67 Knesset members, while Benjamin Netanyahu was backed by 46. Herzog will assess the ability of the recommended candidate to form a stable government before making his final decision.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

President Isaac Herzog will assign the mandate to form a government on Sunday.
Gadi Eisenkot received recommendations from 67 Knesset members.
Benjamin Netanyahu was recommended by factions totaling 46 Knesset members.
United Torah Judaism abstained from recommending a candidate.
Herzog will assess the actual ability to form a government.

Israeli President to Tap Lawmaker for Government Formation Sunday — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Following consultations with Israeli political parties, President Isaac Herzog announced that he will task a lawmaker with forming a government on Sunday. Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, received recommendations from factions representing 67 Knesset members. Benjamin Netanyahu, the current Prime Minister and chairman of the Likud party, was recommended by factions totaling 46 Knesset members. The United Torah Judaism party abstained from making a recommendation.

President Herzog stated that while the recommendations appear clear, his legal authority requires him to assess the actual ability of any candidate to form a stable government. He indicated that he would explore this possibility further through direct, swift conversations with party leaders. "I intend to turn over every stone" in these discussions, Herzog said, to try and build a stable and good government for the people of Israel.

The consultations involved parties such as Yisrael Beiteinu, Democrats, Ra'am, and the Joint List recommending Eisenkot, while Likud, Otzma Yehudit, Religious Zionism, and Shas recommended Netanyahu. The outcome of these recommendations suggests Eisenkot is the favored candidate to receive the mandate.