Eisenkot gets 28 days as Israel president asks opposition leader to form government
Eisenkot receives first opportunity
President Herzog said he would give Gadi Eisenkot the first chance to form a government after consulting all parties during the week. Eisenkot now has 28 days to try, with a potential 14-day extension.
Arab alliances win 19 seats
The United Arab List and the Joint List, two Arab-led alliances, won a combined 19 seats. Their result was unprecedented and followed a surge in turnout among Arab voters. The parties’ support could matter if Eisenkot pursues a government supported by Arab groups, one of the options indicated by the election results.
Recent years marked by deadlock
Israeli politics was deeply fractured between 2019 and 2022, when five separate elections took place. Netanyahu and his rivals repeatedly struggled to cooperate. The election has again left leaders seeking partners to assemble a government, with several possible coalitions but no outright majority for a single party.
Key points
- Eisenkot has 28 days to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension.
- He received 67 recommendations for the premiership, while Netanyahu received 46.
- Two Arab-led alliances together won an unprecedented 19 seats.
- Israel held five elections between 2019 and 2022 amid political divisions.