Israel's President Taps Opposition Leader to Form New Government | WPN World People News

Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced on the 7th that he would give priority to opposition leader and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot to form a new government. The decision is seen as a major political setback for longtime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a key step toward a potential change of government by the opposition. The formal mandate ceremony is expected to take place at the President's Residence in Jerusalem.

Following Israel's October parliamentary elections, Netanyahu's right-wing and religious bloc secured 53 seats, while the four-party alliance led by Eisenkot won 48 seats. Neither side reached the 61-seat majority required in the 120-member Knesset. Two Arab parties collectively hold 19 seats, making them pivotal to the government formation process. After consulting with political parties, Herzog found that Eisenkot had the backing of 67 lawmakers, compared with 46 for Netanyahu, giving him priority to form a government. Eisenkot will have 28 days to assemble a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension.

Eisenkot, a former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), has in recent years sought to attract support from secular and liberal voters while keeping open the possibility of cooperation with ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties. He said the time had come to form a "national emergency government" and pledged to fulfill voters' expectations. However, Israeli society remains deeply divided by prolonged warfare and political polarization. With significant differences among political parties, Eisenkot faces the major challenge of uniting forces across the political spectrum and establishing a stable governing coalition.