Israel's president, Isaac Herzog, has formally assigned Gadi Eisenkot the task of forming the country's next government, giving him 28 days to secure the necessary 61 Knesset seats. This decision comes after neither Eisenkot nor incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won a clear majority in the recent election.
According to reports, 67 lawmakers, including those from Arab-led parties, have endorsed Eisenkot to form a government. Eisenkot's four-party alliance won 48 seats, while Netanyahu's right-wing and religious bloc secured 53 seats, and Arab-led parties won a record 19 seats.
The endorsement of Eisenkot by Israel's main parties and the president's decision to task him with forming a government marks a significant shift in the country's political landscape, dealing a blow to Netanyahu's grip on power. As Eisenkot works to build a coalition, his success will depend on his ability to secure the support of enough lawmakers to reach the 61-seat threshold, which would allow him to replace Netanyahu as prime minister.
Evidence lens
5 cited sources are linked to this briefing.