Overview
- President Isaac Herzog assigned the mandate to Gadi Eisenkot on Saturday after 67 Knesset deputies recommended him and 46 recommended Benjamin Netanyahu.
- Eisenkot has 28 days, with a possible 14‑day extension, to put together a coalition and present it to the Knesset for a confidence vote.
- The Joint List and Ra'am, who together hold 19 seats after near‑record Arab turnout, told Herzog they would back Eisenkot from outside government while stopping short of joining a formal coalition.
- Eisenkot’s plan centers on a minority Jewish cabinet of four opposition parties that total 48 seats and therefore needs outside support; Avigdor Lieberman rejects reliance on Arab backing and is proposing concessions on ultra‑Orthodox conscription to try to attract haredi parties.
- If Eisenkot fails, Herzog can give a second candidate 28 days and, failing that, any MK with 61 backers may attempt to form a government or new elections will be called, keeping repeat ballots a real possibility.