Herzog taps Eisenkot to form Israel's next government
Herzog chose Gadi Eisenkot to try to form a government, with 28 days and a possible 14-day extension; a coalition is not yet secured.
Developing story. Details may change as more information is confirmed.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has chosen opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to try to form the country's next government, passing over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first opportunity. Herzog announced the decision Saturday, with the formal mandate to be handed over Sunday.
Eisenkot will have 28 days to assemble a government, with a possible 14-day extension. Being selected to try does not mean he has already built a coalition or replaced Netanyahu as prime minister.
The October 27 election left neither main bloc with a parliamentary majority. Netanyahu's right-wing and religious allies won 53 of the Knesset's 120 seats, while Eisenkot's four-party bloc won 48. Arab-led parties won 19 seats, making their position important to any route out of the deadlock.
During Herzog's consultations, 67 lawmakers recommended Eisenkot for the task and 46 recommended Netanyahu. Those recommendations showed support for giving Eisenkot a chance, but they do not guarantee that the same lawmakers will join or sustain a government.
Negotiations will require difficult compromises. Eisenkot and members of his bloc face tensions over cooperation with Arab-led parties and ultra-Orthodox parties, while Netanyahu has called for a unity government headed by him.
If coalition-building fails, other constitutional steps could follow, including another candidate receiving a chance to form a government. For now, the confirmed development is Herzog's choice and the opening of a limited negotiating window. Israel's final governing arrangement remains unsettled.
This summary is original reporting by tehworldnews, written after checking the facts against several major international news outlets and official statements.