Israeli President Issac Herzog on Saturday chose opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to try to form a new government over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The move demonstrates a lack of confidence in Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader, after he failed to secure the majority in last month’s elections — despite his party garnering the most seats out of any bloc.
“Now is the time to form a national emergency government,” Eisenkot wrote on X. “I will do everything I can to ensure we are worthy.”
Eisenkot’s nomination comes after Herzog met with major party leaders last week to figure out which candidate stands the best chance of rallying a majority of lawmakers together to form a government.
Eisenkot’s anti-Netanyahu coalition only holds 48 of Knesset’s 120 seats, but Israel’s Arab parties, which secured a historic 19 seats, have signaled that they would back the opposition leader.
While Eisenkot, a former military chief, has declined to officially join forces with the Arab parties, Arab leaders still nominated him in an effort to get rid of Netanyahu.
The move would also serve as a blow to Netanyahu’s far-right partners Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, who have been criticized for inciting violence in the West Bank.
Eisenkot has 28 days to try and forge a government by either negotiating with the Arab parties or by cutting deals with members of Netanyahu’s own coalition, which managed to pool together 53 seats.
Only a single member of Eisenkot’s coalition has signaled a willingness to work with the Arab parties, with all other block members rejecting it as a possibility.
A unity government is also possible, but Eisenkot has reiterated that there is no place for Netanyahu in his government following the administration’s security failings during the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack.
Should Eisenkot fail to form a government, Herzog will have at least two more chances to pick a candidate for prime minister.
If no one succeeds, Israel would have to hold a second election.
With Post Wires
