Eisenkot Favored to Form Israel's Government; Netanyahu Deals Blow from Ally

Yahadut HaTorah, an ally of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announced today that it will not recommend reappointing him to form the next government coalition, dealing a severe blow to the prime minister from one of his partners, as indications grow that the opportunity may go to his rival, Gadi Eisenkot.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog held consultations with political parties for the second consecutive day today to determine who will be tasked with forming the next government following the October 27 elections, which failed to produce a clear majority for either Netanyahu or his rival Eisenkot, leaving neither with a solid basis to assume executive power.

Yahadut HaTorah (or Torah Judaism) refrained from recommending that Herzog assign the task to Netanyahu again, despite having supported him in five previous elections, but it also did not recommend appointing Eisenkot.

In a statement, the Israeli President’s Office said the party, which won seven seats in the elections, informed him that it “has decided not to recommend any member of the Knesset to form the government.”

The party represents Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox Jews whose roots are primarily in Europe.

Alongside the Sephardic ultra-Orthodox Shas party, whose members largely trace their origins to the Middle East and North Africa, Yahadut HaTorah focuses on exempting religious students from mandatory military service in Israel, a policy long supported by Netanyahu.

Netanyahu maintained this exemption but failed to codify it into law, sparking widespread discontent among large segments of the Israeli public, including reserve soldiers who are forced to undertake repeated service rotations due to wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.

In contrast, Eisenkot, the former chief of staff seeking to unite centrist and center-right forces, insists on ending military service exemptions. Some of his allies in the opposition have sharply criticized ultra-Orthodox Jews, accusing them of selfishness and pursuing their own interests.

Observers believe Yahadut HaTorah’s stance is primarily aimed at punishing Netanyahu and sending a message that its votes cannot be taken for granted.

Herzog is scheduled to meet representatives of other major parties today before appointing one of the Knesset members to form the government.

The Israeli president typically bases his decision on the number of recommendations each party gives to each candidate, making it likely that Eisenkot will be tasked with forming the government.

Excluding Yahadut HaTorah’s seats, Netanyahu holds 46 seats, compared to 48 for Eisenkot’s camp.

Meanwhile, Israeli Arab parties made significant gains, securing 19 seats, capitalizing on public anger against Netanyahu’s right-wing, hardline government.

Eisenkot may be able to form a government relying on Arab parties, but he risks losing the support of some opposition allies who may refuse to cooperate with them.

After meeting with Herzog, Mansour Abbas, head of the United Arab List, said he recommended appointing Eisenkot to form the government. In response to a question from Herzog during the meeting about whether he considers Hamas a terrorist organization, Abbas said, “Our vision is reconciliation and peace, that two states exist here, and that Hamas and armed groups relinquish their weapons.”