Eisenkot Tapped to Form Israel's Next Government Amid Democracy Concerns

Eisenkot, whose party is variously referred to as Yashar, Yachad, or the National Unity Party, has 28 days to negotiate a coalition and secure a parliamentary majority, with the possibility of a 14-day extension. He expressed his intention to establish a national emergency government. However, he faces complex negotiations and significant political hurdles, including disagreements over the draft law and the participation of ultra-Orthodox and Arab parties. The United Arab List and the Joint List recommended Eisenkot as part of an effort to end Netanyahu's tenure, but Eisenkot must still define the terms of any cooperation with them.

To prevent potential delays in swearing in the new government, Eisenkot plans to wait for the election of a new Knesset speaker from his bloc to replace the current speaker, Amir Ohana. Eisenkot is scheduled to meet with Avigdor Lieberman of Yisrael Beiteinu and Naftali Bennett of Yamina on Monday to discuss coalition possibilities. Meanwhile, Netanyahu released a video calling for a national unity government and warning against a coalition reliant on supporters of terror, a move criticized by Eisenkot's party as a pathetic spin.