Israel's president picks Gadi Eisenkot, not Benjamin Netanyahu, to try to form the country's next government

What happened

Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced Saturday night that opposition candidate Gadi Eisenkot will get the first opportunity to form a governing coalition after the country's Oct. 27 election, according to the Associated Press, as published by PBS NewsHour. CBS News described the decision as a setback for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

NPR reported that Herzog acted after parties representing most members of parliament recommended Eisenkot. NPR also said Herzog would formally hand Eisenkot the mandate at 5 p.m. local time on Sunday. Eisenkot responded on X. In the AP's translation, he wrote: "This is the time to establish a national emergency government. I will do anything possible to prove us worthy."

How the vote split

Seat counts in a 120-seat parliament

According to NPR, Netanyahu's Likud party won 27 seats, six more than Eisenkot's Yashar party. Neither man secured a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. CBS News reported that Netanyahu's bloc won 53 seats and the four parties in the main opposition bloc won 48.

Arab-led parties' role

CBS News reported that Israel's Arab-majority parties had their highest turnout ever and won an unprecedented 19 seats. NPR noted that Palestinian citizens of Israel make up about 20% of the country. According to CBS, the heads of the two largest Arab parties said they would be willing to help Eisenkot's bloc oust Netanyahu. Most Jewish-led parties opposing Netanyahu, however, vowed before the election not to rely on Arab party support. The AP reported that an Arab party has been part of a governing coalition only once in Israel's history.

The coalition math

A six-week clock

NPR reported that Eisenkot will have 28 days to assemble a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension. That gives him up to six weeks to reach the 61 seats needed for a majority. If he fails, Herzog can give another lawmaker a chance. If those efforts also fail, Israel could face another election, with Netanyahu staying on as caretaker prime minister in the meantime.

Possible paths

The AP outlined several options. Eisenkot and Netanyahu could try a broad unity government with major Jewish parties, but the AP said the two men disagree deeply. One dispute is Netanyahu's reliance on religious parties that want draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men. Another is Netanyahu's opposition to a formal investigation into the security failures around the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. Eisenkot could also form a minority government backed from outside by Arab parties, though other members of his bloc have said they would reject that arrangement.

CBS News reported that once the new Knesset is sworn in, Eisenkot's bloc and the Arab parties together could begin passing laws, because they will control a majority, even before a government is formed.

Netanyahu's pushback

Shortly before Herzog's announcement, Netanyahu released a video calling for a "national unity government." In it, he warned against "hastily swearing in a government with terrorist supporters," language the AP said he uses for the Arab-led parties. The AP described his claims that Arab parties "stole" the election as unsubstantiated. CBS News reported he has alleged, without evidence, that some Arab countries interfered. Din Livne, acting director-general of the Central Elections Committee, wrote that "there is no basis to the claims regarding a systematic compromise of the integrity of the elections," according to CBS.

The outlets described Eisenkot's stance on the Arab parties differently. NPR reported that both Eisenkot and Netanyahu ruled out working with them before the election. The AP and CBS reported that Eisenkot has signaled a willingness to partner with them under conditions, including calling Hamas a terrorist group that must be destroyed. Yashar criticized Netanyahu's video and urged Likud members to drop their alliance with "radical parties."

Who Eisenkot is

According to NPR, Eisenkot was chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces from 2015 to 2019. He joined Netanyahu's emergency war cabinet after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks but left the following year. At the time, he accused Netanyahu of failing to make progress toward ending the Gaza war and securing the release of hostages. His son, Gal, a reservist, was killed in Gaza. He founded Yashar, a center-right party, on an anti-corruption and government reform platform. More world coverage is in our Nation section.

What to watch next

• Whether Eisenkot can reach 61 seats within 28 days, or within a possible 14-day extension, as NPR reported.
• Whether Arab-led parties join or back a coalition, a step other members of Eisenkot's bloc have said they would reject, according to the AP.
• The swearing-in of the new Knesset, after which CBS said Eisenkot's bloc and Arab parties could begin passing laws.
• Whether a failed effort leads Herzog to choose another lawmaker or sends Israel to a new election, with Netanyahu remaining caretaker prime minister.