Gadi Eisenkot, the leading rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will get six weeks to form a new government. President Isaac Herzog said he would give the opposition leader first dibs at trying to forge a coalition. The career general now faces a major test after last month’s inconclusive election.
Mr. Eisenkot, a career general and the leading rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, will now have up to six weeks to form a coalition.
The clock starts ticking on Sunday for Gadi Eisenkot, the leading rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, to form a new government.
Mr. Eisenkot is set to be given the official mandate to form a government at an afternoon ceremony presided over by Israel's president, Isaac Herzog. After days of consultations, Mr. Herzog said late Saturday that he would give the opposition leader first dibs at trying to forge a coalition after the country's inconclusive national election last month.
A soft-spoken former general, Mr. Eisenkot leads Yashar, a center-right party that campaigned on a promise of keeping Israel secure while pivoting away from policies that prompted international anger and led to Israel's isolation on the world stage.
Mr. Eisenkot, 66, has up to six weeks to build a coalition before the president passes the opportunity to another candidate, most likely Mr. Netanyahu. Here's what to know about the career general-turned-politician.
What is his background?
Mr. Eisenkot, a married father of five, was born in Tiberias, in the north, to Moroccan immigrants and was raised in Eilat, a working-class city in southern Israel.
Want to stay updated on what's happening in Israel and Lebanon? Sign up for Your Places: Global Update, and we'll send our latest coverage to your inbox.
He is relatively new to politics, having spent his career in the military, and has served only part of a single term as a lawmaker and eight months as a minister.