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Herzog Names Eisenkot to Form New Israeli Government
· Confirmed
In Short: Israeli President Isaac Herzog has given opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot the first opportunity to form a new government.
Isaac Herzog (Wikidata P18).
Israeli president officially hands Gadi Eisenkot mandate to form new government. Al Jazeera English
President Isaac Herzog announced on Saturday that he will give Gadi Eisenkot, the main rival to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the first chance to form a new coalition government.
Eisenkot will have 28 days to establish a new government after receiving the formal offer from Herzog on Sunday at 5 p.m.
The decision follows a deadlocked election result where neither Eisenkot's bloc nor Netanyahu's coalition secured a majority in the Knesset.
During consultations with political parties, 67 members of Knesset recommended Eisenkot to President Herzog.
Eisenkot's bloc did not win a majority, but the Arab-majority parties, holding 19 seats, played a pivotal role in securing his nomination.
President Herzog said, "I hope with all my heart that whatever government is formed will lead to unity, connection and healing among all segments of our people — for our very existence depends on it, and we have only one country."
Eisenkot, a former military chief, is now a step closer to ousting Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister.
The bloc led by Eisenkot also did not win a majority, but the Arab parties have vowed to support an Eisenkot-led government, though their formal coalition participation remains uncertain.
Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of running an orchestrated campaign to delegitimize the election results, while Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh dismissed the allegations as a racist blood libel.
Complex coalition negotiations lie ahead, but it marks a significant step in Eisenkot's effort to oust Netanyahu after neither bloc emerged from the October 27 parliamentary elections with a majority.
What this adds
The decision comes days after Herzog met with representatives from each party that had secured seats in the Knesset.
Background
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has chosen Gadi Eisenkot to form a new government, a move that could end Benjamin Netanyahu's long tenure as prime minister.
In a joint statement, the leaders said all their parties would recommend Eisenkot to President Isaac Herzog, who is set to begin consultations with parties on who should form the next government on Wednesday.
What's confirmed
- Israel's President Isaac Herzog has announced he will give Benjamin Netanyahu's main rival, Gadi Eisenkot the first opportunity to form a new coalition government.
- Isaac Herzog has been holding talks with political parties after neither Eisenkot's bloc nor that of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secured a majority in Israel's parliament, known as the Knesset, following last week's election.
- President Isaac Herzog said that after consultations with all parties last week, he would grant Eisenkot the first chance to form a government after neither side secured a majority in a country deeply polarized by Netanyahu’s hard-right rule and worn down by three years of war.
- Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Saturday chose opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to try to form a new government, Israeli media reported, after an inconclusive election left neither he nor Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a clear path to power.
- Giovanna Dell'Orto, Associated Press Giovanna Dell'Orto, Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Saturday night that he was giving opposition candidate Gadi Eisenkot the first opportunity to form a governing coalition following elections on Oct. 27.
- While the Arab parties have vowed to support an Eisenkot-led government, or to refrain from voting against it, members of the Jewish bloc have said they will not join a government that relies on the Arab factions’ support.
- Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition nor the opposition bloc, led by Gadi Eisenkot, secured a majority, according to the official results.
- Before the election, both Netanyahu and Eisenkot ruled out forming a government with the Arab parties.
- Israeli President Isaac Herzog has said he will task opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming the next government, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hopes of securing another term in office.
- But the bloc led by Eisenkot also didn't win a majority.
- Eisenkot, a former military chief who ran as the main challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is now a step closer to ousting Israel's longest-serving premier.
What's still developing
- Speaking to reporters, Trump was asked about Eisenkot being tasked with forming Israel’s next government, following the October 27 election in which Netanyahu ’s governing bloc failed to secure a parliamentary majority.
- Eisenkot opens coalition talks as Liberman rejects minority government Yashar leader meets Naftali Bennett after receiving mandate to form government, with Liberman emerging as his biggest obstacle; Yisrael Beytenu chief warns reliance on Arab parties would return Netanyahu to power, while allies suspect he is positioning himself for the premiership Yuval Karni | Add a comment Print Find an error?
- Humanitarian catastrophe largely ignored as rivals Gadi Eisenkot and Benjamin Netanyahu vow to end Hamas rule Humanitarian catastrophe largely ignored as rivals Gadi Eisenkot and Benjamin Netanyahu vow to end Hamas rule As Israel prepares to go to the polls, Palestinians in Gaza are bracing for an outcome that could shape their future, knowing their fate rests with the country that has reduced much of the territory to rubble and killed nearly 75,000 people.
- The decision comes days after the president met with representatives from each of the parties that had secured seats in the next Israeli parliament, the Knesset, asking them for their recommendations for who should be given the task of trying to form a new coalition.
- By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org Yashar Party head Gadi Eisenkot inched closer to wresting the premiership from Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, as he secured the majority support of 67 out of 120 parliamentarians, but was not yet granted the mandate to form a government.
Sources
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