Israel’s President Tasks Gadi Eisenkot With Forming Government as Netanyahu Falls Short of Support
Israel’s president has asked Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot to form a government after he secured support from 67 Knesset members, while incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was backed by 46. Eisenkot now has 28 days to assemble a coalition, with Arab parties potentially holding decisive influence.
Israel has entered another round of coalition bargaining after the president chose opposition figure Gadi Eisenkot to try to form the next government, sidelining Benjamin Netanyahu for now.
Eisenkot, who leads the Yashar party, received the backing of 67 out of 120 members of the Knesset in consultations with the president. Netanyahu, the incumbent prime minister, was recommended by 46 lawmakers.
Under Israel’s rules, Eisenkot has 28 days to build a governing coalition. Arab parties could play a decisive role in that process, since their support or abstention will shape whether he can assemble a viable majority. They have had limited involvement in previous governing coalitions, which makes their potential influence in this round notable.
The stakes are broad. Any new coalition will have to deal with security threats, economic pressures, and disputes over issues such as judicial changes, settlements, and policy in Gaza and the West Bank. Shifts in the composition of the government could alter both tactics and tone on these fronts.
Eisenkot brings a background as a former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff. That experience gives him a strong security profile, though he has less time in civilian politics. Netanyahu, meanwhile, remains caretaker prime minister until a new government is sworn in and retains a substantial bloc behind him, which means he can still influence political dynamics and coalition talks.
Regional governments and international partners are watching closely. Changes in Israel’s leadership or coalition makeup could affect relations with Arab states, the handling of tensions with the Palestinians, and the country’s broader diplomatic posture.
Signals to follow over the next four weeks include which parties sign on to Eisenkot’s effort, whether any elements of Netanyahu’s bloc shift sides, and how Arab party leaders define their conditions for cooperation. The answers will determine not only who leads the next government but the direction of Israel’s policy in a period of sustained pressure.
Sources
- OSINT