Herzog Picks Eisenkot to Form Israel Government; 67 Back Him
(MENAFN) Israeli President Isaac Herzog will hand Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot the mandate to form Israel’s next government, his spokesperson announced Saturday.
In a statement, the spokesperson said Herzog has already told Eisenkot of his decision. The president has summoned him to the President’s Residence, where he will formally present the mandate at 5 pm local time (1500GMT) on Sunday.
During consultations, parliamentary factions representing 67 Knesset members urged Herzog to pick Eisenkot. Factions representing 46 lawmakers backed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Likud leader and a Knesset member. A single seven-member faction declined to endorse anyone.
The spokesperson said Herzog spent recent days in extensive talks with figures from across the political spectrum, Netanyahu and Eisenkot among them.
Once the mandate is assigned, the designated lawmaker has 28 days to build a coalition. The president may extend that deadline by up to 14 days if more time is needed.
On Thursday, after wrapping up consultations with the factions, Herzog said he would hold further talks before deciding. He said the tally of recommendations alone could not determine who is able to form a government, citing disagreements among the factions and their competing demands over Cabinet posts.
Israel voted in parliamentary elections on Oct. 27, and neither major bloc reached the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Netanyahu’s Likud took 27 seats, while Eisenkot’s Yashar won 21. Other parties claimed the rest.
Final results gave Netanyahu’s bloc 53 seats and the Israeli parties opposing him 48. The two Arab lists, the Joint List and the United Arab List, also known as Ra’am, won 19 seats between them. Combined, the anti-Netanyahu parties hold 67 seats, and they recommended Eisenkot for the mandate.
The path ahead is difficult. Several major parties in Eisenkot’s camp oppose a government that includes Arab parties, so he must either find a way to secure a parliamentary majority or form a minority government that relies on outside support. He must also bridge differences among the parties opposed to Netanyahu. Likud remains the largest single party in the Knesset, holding 27 of the 61 seats required for a majority.
The seven lawmakers of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, part of Netanyahu’s bloc, declined to back either candidate. They are at odds with their allies over military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews.
If Eisenkot fails to assemble a government within the initial 28 days and any extension Herzog grants, Israel could face another round of political consultations. Netanyahu’s government would stay in place in a caretaker capacity until a new one is formed.
Netanyahu is among Israel’s longest-serving prime ministers. He first held the post from 1996 to 1999, returned in 2009 and served until 2021, then took office again in December 2022.
He has been on trial in Israel since 2020 on bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges in three corruption cases. He denies the charges. The International Criminal Court also issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, the spokesperson said Herzog has already told Eisenkot of his decision. The president has summoned him to the President’s Residence, where he will formally present the mandate at 5 pm local time (1500GMT) on Sunday.
During consultations, parliamentary factions representing 67 Knesset members urged Herzog to pick Eisenkot. Factions representing 46 lawmakers backed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Likud leader and a Knesset member. A single seven-member faction declined to endorse anyone.
The spokesperson said Herzog spent recent days in extensive talks with figures from across the political spectrum, Netanyahu and Eisenkot among them.
Once the mandate is assigned, the designated lawmaker has 28 days to build a coalition. The president may extend that deadline by up to 14 days if more time is needed.
On Thursday, after wrapping up consultations with the factions, Herzog said he would hold further talks before deciding. He said the tally of recommendations alone could not determine who is able to form a government, citing disagreements among the factions and their competing demands over Cabinet posts.
Israel voted in parliamentary elections on Oct. 27, and neither major bloc reached the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Netanyahu’s Likud took 27 seats, while Eisenkot’s Yashar won 21. Other parties claimed the rest.
Final results gave Netanyahu’s bloc 53 seats and the Israeli parties opposing him 48. The two Arab lists, the Joint List and the United Arab List, also known as Ra’am, won 19 seats between them. Combined, the anti-Netanyahu parties hold 67 seats, and they recommended Eisenkot for the mandate.
The path ahead is difficult. Several major parties in Eisenkot’s camp oppose a government that includes Arab parties, so he must either find a way to secure a parliamentary majority or form a minority government that relies on outside support. He must also bridge differences among the parties opposed to Netanyahu. Likud remains the largest single party in the Knesset, holding 27 of the 61 seats required for a majority.
The seven lawmakers of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, part of Netanyahu’s bloc, declined to back either candidate. They are at odds with their allies over military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews.
If Eisenkot fails to assemble a government within the initial 28 days and any extension Herzog grants, Israel could face another round of political consultations. Netanyahu’s government would stay in place in a caretaker capacity until a new one is formed.
Netanyahu is among Israel’s longest-serving prime ministers. He first held the post from 1996 to 1999, returned in 2009 and served until 2021, then took office again in December 2022.
He has been on trial in Israel since 2020 on bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges in three corruption cases. He denies the charges. The International Criminal Court also issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any
responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos,
licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues
related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Comments
No comment