Israeli president picks Eisenkot to form government in setback for Netanyahu

Show caption: Israeli President Isaac Herzog is seen at his residence in J…

Arab parties give ex-military chief parliamentary numbers, but not necessarily route to power

The National

November 08, 2026

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has chosen former military chief Gadi Eisenkot to try to form a government, giving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's main political rival the first opportunity to build a governing coalition.

The presidency announced the decision in a statement issued late Saturday after consultations with political leaders. It said Mr Eisenkot had been informed of the decision and invited to formally receive the mandate at 5pm on Sunday.

Mr Netanyahu is seeking to retain power after his far-right coalition lost its parliamentary majority in the October 27 election, although his Likud party emerged as the largest single party in the 120-seat Knesset, or parliament.

The decision followed Mr Herzog's consultations with all elected parliamentary factions. Representatives of groups holding 67 seats recommended Mr Eisenkot, while factions representing 46 lawmakers backed Mr Netanyahu. The seven-member United Torah Judaism faction declined to endorse either candidate.

In its statement, the presidency said Mr Herzog "has invited Gadi Eisenkot to the President's residence, where he will be tasked with forming the government".

Mr Eisenkot responded in a post on X, saying: “Now is the time to form a national emergency government. I will do everything I can to ensure we are worthy.”

The official results published by the Knesset show Likud won 27 seats, while Mr Eisenkot's Yashar party secured 21. Mr Netanyahu's wider political bloc has 53 seats, against 48 for Mr Eisenkot's allied parties.

The Joint List and Raam, the two main Arab-majority political entities, secured a combined 19 seats, giving them considerable influence over the coalition negotiations. Their support for Mr Eisenkot's nomination helped him secure the backing of a majority of parliamentary factions in the presidential consultations.

Arab party role

But that does not necessarily mean they will become partners in his government. Mr Eisenkot and several of his political allies have resisted relying on Arab-majority parties, even for support from outside a governing coalition, amid concerns over a backlash from their own voters.

While the Arab-majority parties have helped open the door to a government led by Mr Eisenkot, securing their support in parliamentary votes may prove considerably more difficult. Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, who is part of Mr Eisenkot's political alliance, previously led a government with support from Raam, demonstrating that such co-operation is not unprecedented.

One possibility is a minority government that relies on Arab lawmakers to support it in key parliamentary votes without formally joining the coalition. Another is an agreement with ultra-orthodox parties, which have traditionally supported Mr Netanyahu.

A national unity government involving Likud is another potential option, although Mr Eisenkot has repeatedly criticised Mr Netanyahu's leadership and previously ruled out serving under him.

Mr Eisenkot will have 28 days to form a government after formally receiving the mandate, with Mr Herzog authorised to grant an extension of up to 14 days.

If Mr Eisenkot fails, Mr Herzog can give another lawmaker the opportunity to form a government. Mr Netanyahu could then be given another chance to secure a parliamentary majority.

Updated:

November 08, 2026, 4:43 AM