Israeli President Isaac Herzog tasked Gadi Eisenkot with forming a new government after the October 27 election. Eisenkot said, "Israel could not afford prolonged political deadlock or repeated elections." He now has 28 days to build a coalition. Many Israelis in Tel Aviv showed cautious optimism about ending the stalemate.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has officially tasked former military chief Gadi Eisenkot with forming the country's next government after he secured the backing of a majority of lawmakers in the 120-member Knesset. The move comes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's religious-nationalist coalition lost its parliamentary majority in the October 27 election. Accepting the mandate, Eisenkot called for the swift formation of a broad-based national emergency government, warning that Israel could not afford prolonged political deadlock or repeated elections. His options include forming a minority government or cooperating with political rivals, including Arab parties that have backed his nomination. Meanwhile, Israelis in Tel Aviv expressed cautious optimism about the possibility of ending the political stalemate. Eisenkot has 28 days to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension. If he fails, Herzog is likely to hand the mandate to Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, giving him another opportunity to form the government.