Herzog taps Netanyahu rival Eisenkot to form government

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has chosen Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's main rival, to make the first attempt at forming Israel's next government. The October 27 election left neither political bloc with a parliamentary majority, AP reported via PBS. Herzog announced the decision on Saturday, November 7. He is set to formally hand Eisenkot the mandate at a ceremony at the President's Residence in Jerusalem at 5 p.m. local time on Sunday, November 8, according to India Today.pbs.org+1

Herzog's office said parties representing 67 lawmakers recommended Eisenkot during consultations, while 46 backed Netanyahu. United Torah Judaism's seven members recommended no one, according to the presidential statement as reported by ANI. Once he receives the mandate, Eisenkot will have 28 days to put together a coalition of at least 61 of the Knesset's 120 seats, and Herzog can extend that by 14 days. Netanyahu remains caretaker prime minister in the meantime, Al Jazeera reported.aljazeera.com+1

A mandate without a coalition

The 67 recommendations do not give Eisenkot a working coalition. Netanyahu's right-wing and religious bloc won 53 seats and Eisenkot's four-party alliance won 48. Arab-led parties won a record 19, Al Jazeera reported. The Arab parties backed Eisenkot even though his bloc has refused to bring them into a government, Reuters reported.reuters.com+1

Eisenkot has said he wants a "national emergency government." His conditions for joining it include recognizing Hamas as a terrorist organization, which in effect keeps the Arab parties out of the cabinet but would still let them support it from outside, CNN reported. Avigdor Liberman, a key ally, has rejected any government that depends on Arab parties. He instead wants a 61-seat coalition with the ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism. That plan clashes with the opposition's campaign promise to end the blanket exemption from military service for ultra-Orthodox men.cnn.com

Netanyahu pushes back

Shortly before Herzog's announcement, Netanyahu released a video calling for a "national unity government." He warned against "hastily swearing in a government with terrorist supporters," language he uses for Arab-led parties, according to AP. Eisenkot's Yashar party replied that if Likud wants broad unity, it should end its alliance with "the extremists" and join a government led by Eisenkot, CNN reported.pbs.org+1

Ahmad Tibi of the Joint List told Al Jazeera that he expects a minority government "with external support from the Arab parties." The first test is expected on Tuesday, November 10, when the new Knesset is sworn in and the opposition plans to replace Netanyahu's speaker, CNN reported.cnn.com+1

"This is the time to establish a national emergency government. I will do anything possible to prove us worthy," Eisenkot wrote after the announcement, AP reported.pbs.org