Israeli President Tasks Opposition Leader Gadi Eisenkot With Forming Government

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has tasked opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming the next government over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The announcement was made on Saturday night following elections held on October 27, according to the South China Morning Post. The decision represents a setback for Prime Minister Netanyahu as rival political factions move to replace him, Al Jazeera and Al-Monitor reported. [1][4][6]

Neither Prime Minister Netanyahu's political bloc nor the opposition secured a majority in the election, the BBC Middle East reported. Middle East Eye reported that Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief who leads the Yashar party, is backed by both Arab-led parties and has been given 28 days to build a governing coalition. Middle East Eye also noted that Reuters captured Eisenkot greeting supporters at his party headquarters in Tel Aviv on October 28. [3][5][9]

As FTMQ World reported earlier, exit polls following the October 27 national vote projected a narrow lead for Gadi Eisenkot's opposition alliance over Prime Minister Netanyahu's camp. However, neither side secured the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority in the 120-seat Knesset, leaving both major leaders racing to build a working government. [16][17]

Gadi Eisenkot now faces the task of assembling a diverse governing coalition within his 28-day window to successfully take office, Middle East Eye reported. Al-Monitor noted that political rivals view the move as a potential first step toward unseating Netanyahu, who is Israel's longest-serving prime minister. [3][6]