Israel’s Eisenkot claims progress toward ousting Netanyahu

Israeli President Isaac Herzog plans to name on Sunday, November 8, the lawmaker who will get the first chance to form Israel's next government. In consultations with the parties, opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot was recommended by factions holding 67 of the Knesset's 120 seats, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was recommended by factions holding 46, JNS reported. Herzog released the tally on Thursday, November 5, at the end of two days of meetings. He also warned that the numbers alone would not settle his choice, citing "mutual vetoes between the blocs and within the blocs themselves."jns.org

Netanyahu stays on as caretaker prime minister until a new government is formed, according to The National. Whoever receives the mandate will have 28 days to build a coalition, and Herzog can extend that by up to 14 days.thenationalnews.com

How the Count Broke Down

Eisenkot's 67 recommendations came from the 48-seat Jewish-led opposition bloc of Yashar, Together, The Democrats and Yisrael Beiteinu, plus Ra'am's eight seats and the Joint List's 11, Tribune India reported. United Torah Judaism, an ultra-Orthodox party and longtime Netanyahu ally that holds seven seats, declined to recommend anyone, according to The New York Times. That left Netanyahu with 46 recommendations, even though his bloc won 53 seats in the October 27 election.nytimes.com+1

The Joint List has said it will not formally join a coalition but could support an Eisenkot government from outside. That raises questions about how long such an arrangement would last, the Times noted. Eisenkot has rejected alliances with parties that do not back Israel's Jewish character or the defeat of Hamas.nytimes.com

Eisenkot Asks for the Mandate

In a post on X on Friday, Eisenkot publicly asked for the mandate. "We have made significant progress and achieved breakthroughs, quietly and modestly, with much still happening behind the scenes," he wrote, AFP reported. He said 74 lawmakers had not expressed confidence in Netanyahu continuing in office. He also warned that letting "a minority caretaker prime minister" keep control of the security and law enforcement agencies "must not be allowed to continue for even one more day," according to Israel National News.israelnationalnews.com+1

Eisenkot proposed a "national emergency government" built on four principles. These include recognizing Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, mandatory military, national or civilian service for all, and treating Hamas as a terrorist organization whose military power must be dismantled, Daily Sabah reported.dailysabah.com

Shifting Alliances

Coalition math moved on Friday when Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Liberman softened his long-standing refusal to sit with ultra-Orthodox parties. He said flexibility on military conscription was "permitted and desired." "This is painful for me, and I know it's painful for many others," Liberman wrote, according to The New York Times. Liberman still refuses to work with Arab parties, Naharnet reported. If no candidate can put together 61 seats, another election remains possible.naharnet.com+1