Wayne Lumbasi
Israel’s political landscape has entered a new phase after President Isaac Herzog formally tasked opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot with attempting to form the country’s next government, placing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hold on power under renewed pressure.
The decision, announced on November 8, 2026, follows Israel’s October 27 parliamentary elections, which produced a political deadlock, leaving neither Netanyahu’s governing alliance nor the opposition with the 61 seats required for a parliamentary majority in the 120-member Knesset.
Eisenkot, a former chief of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and leader of the Yashar party, received the mandate after 67 lawmakers recommended him for the task, compared with 46 who backed Netanyahu. Another seven lawmakers declined to endorse either candidate. President Herzog said Eisenkot had demonstrated the clearest parliamentary support and the strongest opportunity to assemble a government capable of winning the confidence of parliament.
The election results exposed the difficulties facing Netanyahu, whose Likud party emerged as the largest individual party with 27 seats. However, his broader right-wing and religious coalition secured only 53 seats, falling short of the majority needed to continue governing. Eisenkot’s four-party alliance secured 48 seats, while Arab-led parties won a combined 19 seats, marking an unprecedented parliamentary representation for the groups.
The support of the Arab-led parties helped Eisenkot secure the largest number of parliamentary endorsements. However, forming a government with their participation remains politically complicated. Eisenkot has previously ruled out formally joining forces with the Arab-led factions, while some of his potential coalition partners have also rejected a government dependent on their support.
His options include negotiating with ultra-Orthodox parties, seeking support for a minority government or pursuing a broader national unity arrangement. Each possibility presents significant political challenges, particularly over military conscription, religious exemptions and the participation of Arab representatives in government.
Eisenkot has called for a broad national emergency government, arguing that Israel needs new leadership to address its domestic and international challenges. In a significant development, he has also indicated openness to members of Netanyahu’s Likud party and the Religious Zionist Party joining a government under his leadership, although the question of Netanyahu himself remains politically contentious.
The 65-year-old Eisenkot is a former military chief who led the Israeli armed forces between 2015 and 2019. He later entered politics and became one of Netanyahu’s prominent opponents. He also served as an observer in Netanyahu’s war cabinet during the first eight months of Israel’s war on Gaza, which began in October 2023.
Eisenkot now has 28 days to negotiate a coalition, with the possibility of receiving an additional 14 days. If he fails, President Herzog could give Netanyahu another opportunity to form a government. Should both attempts fail, Israel could face another national election, while Netanyahu remains in office in a caretaker capacity.
The appointment therefore represents an important political test for Netanyahu, who has dominated Israeli politics for years. Whether Eisenkot can translate parliamentary endorsements into a functioning coalition will determine whether Israel enters a new political chapter or returns to the ballot box.
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