Israeli President Taps Gadi Eisenkot to Form Government Amidst Political Deadlock

Israel's President Isaac Herzog officially selected Gadi Eisenkot, a prominent rival to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on Saturday, November 7, 2026, to attempt to form a new government. This decision follows a deadlocked election that left neither leader with a clear path to securing a parliamentary majority. Eisenkot, a former military chief, faces a challenging task after the October 27 election saw Benjamin Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition lose its majority, despite emerging as the largest single bloc in parliament. According to News18 World, Eisenkot secured the backing of 67 lawmakers in the 120-member Knesset, with the official announcement scheduled for 5 pm local time (8:30 pm IST).

Despite securing significant endorsements, including a recommendation from a key lawmaker from the Israeli-Arab minority, Eisenkot has explicitly declined to form a coalition with Arab parties, whose support would otherwise provide him with a parliamentary majority. Arab leaders, reportedly incensed by what they perceive as the racist policies of Mr. Netanyahu and his far-right allies, nonetheless nominated Eisenkot first, granting him the most recommendations to the President. President Herzog's spokesperson confirmed the invitation, stating, "President Herzog has invited Gadi Eisenkot to the President’s Residence, where he will be tasked with forming the government tomorrow."

Eisenkot, 66, a son of Moroccan immigrants, would become the country’s first Prime Minister from Israel’s Mizrahi community. He only entered politics in 2022 and briefly served in Netanyahu’s wartime cabinet after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel before returning to the opposition. From this position, he publicly rebuked Netanyahu over his leadership, particularly his handling of the military campaign in Gaza, and has publicly sworn not to serve in a government with him. His public standing is also deeply tied to personal loss, as a son and two nephews were killed fighting in Gaza since 2023. Eisenkot has also been critical of settler violence against Palestinians, which has surged since 2023, causing tensions in Israel’s relations with Western states, and he opposes Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, both of whom have faced sanctions by some Western countries for inciting violence.

The political landscape remains fractured. Netanyahu’s Likud party won 27 seats, the most of any single party in the 120-seat Knesset, but his broader religious-nationalist coalition managed only 53 seats, falling short of the 61-seat majority needed. Eisenkot’s Yashar party emerged as the second-largest with 21 seats, while his coalition of four centre-left to right-wing Jewish-led parties secured 48 seats. Two parties representing Israel’s Arab minority achieved an unprecedented 19 seats. Eisenkot now has 28 days to forge a government, with a possible 14-day extension. Analysts suggest his potential pathways — forming a minority government with external Arab support, a coalition with ultra-Orthodox parties he previously shunned, or a unity government with Netanyahu — are all unlikely to materialize.

Should Eisenkot fail, another candidate can be given the opportunity, and if that also fails, parliament can nominate a third. The entire process has a deadline of approximately 100 days, after which, if no government is formed, another election will be held. This period of political uncertainty underscores the deep divisions within Israeli society and its political establishment following the recent election.

What to watch: The progress of Gadi Eisenkot's efforts to form a governing coalition.

Editor's note: A comprehensive report that integrates multiple sources effectively and captures the complexity of the political situation.