Herzog Begins Consultations to Task Next Israeli Government Formateur

The consultations follow an election that left the 120-seat Knesset in a political stalemate. Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats, with his Likud party winning 27 seats, while Gadi Eisenkot's opposition bloc won 48 seats. Arab-majority parties won a combined 19 seats. Forming a governing coalition requires the support of at least 61 lawmakers. Thousands of people protested in Tel Aviv demanding the inclusion of Arab-majority parties in the next government.

During the consultations, each party will recommend a candidate for prime minister. Eisenkot is projected to receive 60 endorsements, including from his party Yashar!, B'Yachad, the Joint List, Ra'am, and The Democrats, while Netanyahu is expected to receive 46. Key parties like Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu and United Torah Judaism have not yet declared their endorsements. Lieberman has reportedly declined the position of Knesset Speaker.

Herzog urged party leaders to be flexible, abandon campaign rhetoric, and find creative solutions to prevent another election cycle. The lawmaker tasked by the president will have 28 days to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension. If the effort fails, the president can assign the task to another lawmaker, or at least 61 lawmakers can propose a candidate. If all attempts fail, the Knesset will automatically dissolve, leading to new elections within 90 days.