Netanyahu Challenger Tapped to Form Israeli Government After Election Deadlock
A mandate after no majority
Eisenkot must negotiate with rival parties to reach the 61 seats needed to govern. His initial 28-day period could be extended by 14 days, giving him up to six weeks.
Eisenkot’s military and political career
Eisenkot served as chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces from 2015 to 2019 and is a veteran of several military campaigns. He later joined Netanyahu’s emergency war cabinet after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel.
He left the cabinet the following year, accusing Netanyahu of making insufficient progress toward ending the Gaza war and securing the hostages’ release. Eisenkot lost his son, Gal, a reservist killed in Gaza, and two nephews during the war.
What happens if talks fail
Eisenkot leads the centrist Yashar party, which he founded on an anti-corruption and government reform platform. Whether he can build a coalition depends on support from other parties.
Key points
- Likud won 27 seats, while Yashar won 21, in the 120-seat parliament.
- Eisenkot needs support for a coalition of at least 61 seats.
- Herzog is scheduled to formally give Eisenkot the mandate on Sunday at 5 p.m. local time.
- If coalition efforts fail, another election is possible and Netanyahu would remain caretaker prime minister.