Herzog to Begin Informal Talks Amid Limited Leverage

President Isaac Herzog plans to initiate informal discussions with party leaders in the coming days, even before the official consultations for assigning the mandate to form a government. These talks are expected to commence after the results from double-enveloped ballots are received. Despite President Herzog's commitment to prevent further elections, sources within the President's Residence acknowledge that his leverage in the current political climate is limited.

Senior political figures estimate that the issue of a pardon for Benjamin Netanyahu might be raised in negotiations, but they are skeptical about its potential to break the deadlock. "Netanyahu has not been willing to even hear about mediation until now. Given the current results, the chance he will agree to discuss a pardon in exchange for political flexibility is slim," they stated.

President Herzog is expected to attempt to establish mechanisms that would enable the formation of a unity government, including power-sharing arrangements and a degree of parity. However, these efforts are likely to face deep mutual suspicion between Netanyahu's camp and the Gush Eisenkot bloc. Beyond mistrust, forming a joint government would necessitate compromises on fundamental issues, such as the establishment of an inquiry committee, posing another obstacle to reaching agreements.

It was previously reported on election day that Herzog might consider which candidate has the best chance of forming a government, rather than automatically assigning the mandate to the leader of the largest party. The President reportedly aims for a stable and broad government, and in case of an impasse, he might revisit efforts to conclude Netanyahu's trial. A statement from the President's Residence indicated that after receiving the results, Herzog would exercise his legal discretion.