Herzog Taps Eisenkot to Form Israel's Next Government

Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced Saturday evening his decision to task Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party, with forming the country's next government. Eisenkot is scheduled to officially receive his mandate on Sunday at 5 p.m. at the presidential residence in Jerusalem. This decision follows days of consultations with political parties represented in the Knesset. Parties supporting 67 out of the 120 Knesset members recommended Eisenkot for the role. Outgoing Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, leader of the Likud party, secured the support of 46 lawmakers, while one party with seven seats chose not to recommend any candidate. Although presidential recommendations do not constitute a coalition agreement, Eisenkot now holds a significant advantage. President Herzog had indicated he would continue discussions over the weekend before making his choice, meeting with Netanyahu, Eisenkot, and other political leaders to assess possibilities for a stable majority. Eisenkot's appointment comes amid high political tensions. Hours earlier, Netanyahu had reiterated his call for a national unity government, warning against a coalition he claimed would depend on parties favorable to Hamas. The Eisenkot camp vehemently rejected this, calling it "hysterical discourse" and an attempt to retain power. Upon officially receiving the mandate, Eisenkot will have 28 days to finalize coalition negotiations, with a possible 14-day extension from President Herzog. The former IDF chief of staff must now convert the expressed support into political agreements for a new government to be sworn in.