Israeli President Isaac Herzog will give opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, not Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the first chance to form Israel's next government. Herzog's office announced the choice Saturday evening, and the formal mandate is set to be handed over Sunday at the President's Residence in Jerusalem, the Jerusalem Post reported.
Eisenkot had more backers. A former chief of Israel's military, he leads the Yashar! party. When Herzog finished meeting every party elected on Oct. 27, he said parties holding 67 seats had recommended Eisenkot and parties holding 46 had recommended Netanyahu, according to the president's Nov. 5 statement.
How the seats add up
Herzog said Thursday that "the results of the consultations may appear clear," but his legal task is to decide who can actually form a government, which he called "not entirely clear, given the mutual vetoes between the blocs and within the blocs themselves."
Eisenkot's alliance won 48 seats, Netanyahu's right-wing and religious bloc won 53, and Arab-led parties won 19, Al Jazeera reported. Eisenkot has ruled out a government with the Arab-led parties, whose support makes up the difference between his 48 and the 67 who recommended him. A government needs at least 61 of the Knesset's 120 seats. The president's office lists the United Arab List (Ra'am) among the parties that recommended Eisenkot and says the United Torah Judaism party recommended no one.
What happens next
Israel's Basic Law: The Government sets the clock that starts with Sunday's ceremony.
| Step | Time allowed |
|---|---|
| Eisenkot tries to build a coalition | 28 days, plus up to 14 more if Herzog extends it |
| If he fails, Herzog picks another member or reports no option | 3 days to decide |
| A second candidate tries | 28 days, no extension |
| If that fails, 61 lawmakers can ask Herzog to name someone | 21 days, then 14 days for that candidate |
| If every attempt fails | The Knesset dissolves and Israel holds another election |
Netanyahu's government stays in place as a caretaker until a new government wins a confidence vote. Hours before Herzog's decision, Netanyahu warned, according to Al Jazeera, that a government formed by opposition parties with the support of Arab-led parties would lead to Israel's collapse.
