Last Updated:
Eisenkot received recommendations from 67 of the 120 members of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, during consultations with President Isaac Herzog on forming the next government.
Former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, leaves after voting during the national election, in Herzliya, Israel. (Reuters photo)
Gadi Eisenkot, the former Israeli military chief and leader of the opposition Yashar party, has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel’s prime minister after securing the backing of Arab-led political parties, potentially reshaping the country’s political landscape following a fiercely contested election.
Eisenkot received recommendations from 67 of the 120 members of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, during consultations with President Isaac Herzog on forming the next government. Netanyahu, meanwhile, secured the backing of 46 lawmakers, while seven abstained.
Herzog has said he will announce on Sunday, November 8, which candidate will be entrusted with forming the next government. However, Eisenkot’s lead in parliamentary recommendations does not necessarily guarantee that he can put together a coalition capable of surviving a confidence vote.
The latest development came after the Arab-led Joint List, an alliance of three factions, unanimously decided to recommend Eisenkot for the mandate. The decision followed an earlier endorsement by Ra’am, another Arab-led party. Together, the two political groupings control 19 seats, an unprecedented representation for Arab-majority parties in Israel’s 120-member parliament.
The Joint List said its decision was driven by the need to prevent Netanyahu and his government from returning to power. Its endorsement also reflected what it described as public pressure for political change.
According to Al Jazeera, the Joint List said it would formally communicate its recommendation to Herzog on Thursday. The backing of its 11 lawmakers, alongside Ra’am’s eight, took Eisenkot’s recommendations beyond the 61-seat threshold required for a parliamentary majority.
However, the arithmetic of recommendations and the actual formation of a government are two different challenges.
THE COALITION DILEMMA
Despite receiving support from both Arab-led parties, Eisenkot faces resistance from within his own opposition camp over the prospect of relying on their votes. Right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu, led by Avigdor Liberman, has repeatedly opposed joining a government dependent on Arab-party support.
Eisenkot himself, like Netanyahu, has so far ruled out forming a coalition with the two Arab-led parties. This creates a significant political contradiction: the very endorsements that have helped him emerge as the leading candidate could complicate negotiations with his prospective coalition partners.
The opposition bloc, comprising four Jewish-led parties across the centre-left and right, secured 48 seats in the October 27 election. Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist bloc won 53, leaving both sides short of the 61 required to govern independently.
Likud emerged as the largest single party with 27 seats, followed by Eisenkot’s Yashar with 21 and Naftali Bennett’s B’Yachad alliance with 12. Voter turnout stood at 77.7 per cent, according to the Central Elections Committee.
Netanyahu also suffered a setback when United Torah Judaism, a long-standing coalition partner with seven seats, declined to recommend either candidate. The ultra-Orthodox party has been at odds with Netanyahu over legislation granting exemptions from military service to religious students.
The issue has become particularly contentious as Israeli reservists continue to shoulder repeated deployments amid the wars involving Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. Eisenkot has advocated ending the exemptions.
NETANYAHU’S CHALLENGE AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The election result marks a major challenge for Netanyahu, who has led Israel through years of political turbulence and prolonged military conflicts. His position weakened further after the Central Elections Committee certified the results and found no evidence of irregularities that compromised the election.
Netanyahu and his allies had questioned the integrity of the vote, alleging possible interference involving Arab-led parties. President Herzog, while supporting an investigation into suspected interference, warned against targeting Palestinian citizens of Israel with racist rhetoric.
“The elections are over. Now is the time to face reality,” Herzog said.
He also acknowledged the difficulty of finding a workable coalition, pointing to mutual vetoes between political blocs. Once Herzog formally assigns the mandate, the chosen candidate will have 28 days to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension. Netanyahu will continue as caretaker prime minister until a new government is sworn in.
If Eisenkot fails to assemble a coalition, Herzog could turn to another candidate. Failure to form a government through the process could eventually trigger another election, potentially early next year.
For now, Eisenkot has the numbers to lead the recommendations race. Whether he can translate that advantage into a governing majority will determine if Israel is heading towards a political transition or another prolonged spell of uncertainty.
Quick Answers
Ask News18Gadi Eisenkot received recommendations from 67 out of the 120 members of the Knesset during consultations with President Isaac Herzog, putting him ahead in the race to replace Benjamin Netanyahu.
Ask News18About the Author
Pragati is a News Editor at news18.com. Having headed the Business and Viral sections, Pragati now ideates, writes and edits long-form features and articles on national and global affairs. She ensures…Read More
November 06, 2026, 1:05 PM IST
Read More
Source link
[ad_3]
