Israel President Tasks Gadi Eisenkot to Form New Government Amid Netanyahu Deadlock

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has selected Gadi Eisenkot to lead efforts in forming a new government, signaling a major political shift following a deadlocked election that left neither the incumbent nor his primary challenger with a clear mandate. According to The Irish Times, the decision follows an election on October 27 that saw Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition lose its parliamentary majority, despite remaining the largest single bloc in the Knesset.

The formal appointment of Eisenkot, the leader of the Yashar party and a former military chief of staff, is scheduled to take place during an official ceremony at the president’s residence in Jerusalem on Sunday. The move comes after a week of intense political consultations, as the country seeks stability following three years of war and deep domestic polarization.

The Arithmetic of a Deadlocked Knesset

The path to a stable coalition is narrow. The Israeli parliament, or Knesset, consists of 120 seats, requiring a minimum of 61 to form a government. The recent election results have left the legislature fractured, with no single camp achieving the necessary threshold. Al Jazeera reports that Eisenkot has been granted 28 days to build a coalition, with the possibility of a 14-day extension.

Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot says millions of Israelis voted for change, tired of Benjamin Netanyahu’s ‘lies’. In his first public comment after polls closed, Eisenkot warned rival Netanyahu not to use Israel’s security to ‘serve his political interests’. pic.twitter.com/50Jb4lnrC0

— https://x.com/AJEnglish/status/2115239725585846578

The current distribution of power highlights the difficulty of the task ahead:

Political Bloc/Party	Total Seats	Status/Role
Netanyahu’s Bloc	53	Largest single bloc
Eisenkot’s Bloc (Yashar alliance)	48	Primary opposition bloc
Arab-led Parties	19	Potential kingmakers

While Netanyahu’s camp secured 53 seats, RTE.ie notes that Eisenkot was recommended by parties representing 67 lawmakers, compared to only 46 who backed Netanyahu. This endorsement advantage stems largely from the unprecedented gains made by Arab-majority lists, who could now play a decisive role in the formation of the next administration.

However, a significant political hurdle remains. The Irish Times reports that it is currently unclear if Eisenkot’s bloc would be willing to accept support from these Arab lists to reach the 61-seat requirement. Al Jazeera adds that while Arab-led parties endorsed Eisenkot, providing him with a “considerable margin” of recommendations, Eisenkot has previously expressed that he does not wish to form a government with them.

Eisenkot’s Four Principles for a Zionist Coalition

To navigate this volatility, Eisenkot has moved to define the ideological boundaries of any potential partner. The Jerusalem Post reports that the Yashar chairman has laid out four specific principles that any Member of the Knesset (MK) must sign to join his proposed coalition. These conditions are designed to build what he calls a “broadest possible Zionist, statesmanlike government.”

Israel’s president picks Eisenkot over Netanyahu to form next government — Photo: Al Jazeera

The four mandates for prospective partners are:

Recognition of Israel as a Jewish, democratic, liberal, and egalitarian state.
A commitment to the values enshrined in the Declaration of Independence.
Mandatory military, national, or civilian service for all Israeli citizens.
The recognition of Hamas as a terrorist organization and the commitment to destroy its military and governing capabilities in the Gaza Strip.

Eisenkot, who commanded the military from 2015 to 2019, is positioning himself as a unifying figure. During his campaign, he pledged to end what he described as a “culture of lies” and to move past the “us and them” era of Israeli politics. The Jerusalem Post notes that his platform seeks to reconcile secular and liberal Israelis with other segments of the population, potentially opening doors to an alliance with ultra-Orthodox parties such as United Torah Judaism and Shas.

Legal Stakes and the Shadow of Unrest

The political maneuvering occurs against a backdrop of significant legal and security pressures. Netanyahu continues to fight to retain office while facing corruption charges and an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court regarding the war in Gaza—an authority he rejects, RTE.ie reports. Furthermore, The Hindu notes that Netanyahu’s efforts to discredit the election results by claiming fraud have been met with resistance from the election commission, which found no evidence of irregularities that compromised the integrity of the vote.

Israel President Tasks Gadi Eisenkot to Form New Government Amid Netanyahu Deadlock — Photo: RTE.ie

Israeli president picks Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu rival, to form government

The stakes for the American public and the broader Middle East are high. A shift in Israeli leadership could alter the trajectory of regional security, particularly regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza and potential escalations involving Iran. RTE.ie points out that pressure for a national unity government could intensify if Netanyahu pursues threats to resume war on Iran, a move that lacks explicit support from the United States.

If Eisenkot fails to secure a majority within the allotted timeframe, the process may move to a third candidate or, if no government is formed, trigger new elections within 90 days. In such a scenario, Netanyahu would remain in place as a caretaker prime minister. For now, the focus remains on whether a former general can translate his military authority into a political consensus capable of governing a deeply divided nation.