Eisenkot gets 28 days to form Israel government as coalition talks face hurdles

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has tasked Yashar party leader Eisenkot with forming the country's next government after the October 27 election produced no clear winner.

He has 28 days to secure a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension.

A total of 67 lawmakers recommended Eisenkot for the post of prime minister, while 46 backed incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Seven members of United Torah Judaism (UTJ) did not endorse either candidate.

However, forming a government with a parliamentary majority of 61 seats in the 120-member Knesset could prove difficult.

Eisenkot's anti-Netanyahu bloc has 48 seats, comprising Yashar (21), Together (12), The Democrats (eight) and Yisrael Beiteinu (seven). The Joint List and Ra'am, which together hold 19 seats, could take the bloc's support to 67.

However, Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Liberman has traditionally opposed partnerships with Arab parties. One possible arrangement would involve the Arab parties supporting the government from outside without joining the Cabinet.

Another option is to secure the support of ultra-Orthodox parties. UTJ has seven seats, while Shas has six. Together, they could help Eisenkot reach the 61-seat threshold. However, Shas has publicly dismissed reports that it could join the coalition.

Netanyahu has called for a national unity government and invited Eisenkot's camp to join Likud and its allies. Eisenkot has repeatedly ruled out serving under Netanyahu, holding him responsible for the failures surrounding the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.

Yashar has also indicated that Likud lawmakers could join a government led by Eisenkot if they distance themselves from far-right partners.

If Eisenkot fails to form a government within the stipulated period, Herzog can assign the task to another lawmaker. A failure to secure a majority could eventually trigger another election in early 2027.

Eisenkot, a former Israel Defence Forces chief of staff, has made mandatory military service, defeating Hamas, and preserving Israel's Jewish and democratic character central to his political agenda.