Israeli President Officially Tasks Eizenkot with Forming New Government

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has formally tasked Yesh Atid party leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming the new government, after Eisenkot received a recommendation from parliamentary blocs comprising 67 members of the Knesset, compared to 46 members who recommended Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the results of consultations Herzog held with representatives of the parties that won the elections. Herzog’s office said it met separately with Eisenkot and Netanyahu and informed them of his decision. Under Israel’s Basic Law: Government, Eisenkot has 28 days to form a government, with the president empowered to grant an extension of up to 14 additional days if more time is needed. Meanwhile, Yesh Atid called on members of Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and its allies to join a coalition led by Eisenkot. The party posted on its official X account: “If Likud and its allies are suddenly interested in unity and forming an expansive government, they are invited to declare the dissolution of their alliance with the extremists… and their readiness to join a government headed by Eisenkot.” This came shortly after outgoing Prime Minister Netanyahu called for forming a national unity government, while warning, in his view, that an alliance with Arab parties would lead to the “disintegration” of Israel.