Former army chief Eisenkot, not Netanyahu, gets the first shot at putting together an Israeli government
President Herzog follows the 67 Knesset members who recommended Eisenkot, but without the Arab parties or the ultra-Orthodox a majority is hard to reach.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced on Saturday evening that he is asking opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar party, to form a new government. The formal handover was scheduled for Sunday. During consultations, parties holding a combined 67 of the Knesset's 120 seats recommended Eisenkot, against 46 for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Al Jazeera and Israel Hayom reported. United Torah Judaism backed neither.
In the 27 October election, Netanyahu's right-wing and religious bloc won 53 seats, the alliance around Eisenkot 48, and Arab parties a record 19. Those Arab parties back Eisenkot, but he rules out a coalition with them. Ahmad Tibi of the Joint List expects a minority government with outside support, according to Al Jazeera. To reach 61 seats, Eisenkot would have to win over the ultra-Orthodox parties. Eisenkot called for a national emergency government, while Netanyahu warned in a video against a government that he said would depend on Islamists.
Eisenkot has 28 days, until 6 December, with a possible extension to 20 December, Israel Hayom writes. If he fails, Herzog can designate another candidate. If no government emerges in the end, new elections follow within 90 days and Netanyahu stays on as caretaker prime minister. VRT NWS calls the decision a setback for Netanyahu, although his role is not necessarily over.