Herzog tasks Eisenkot with forming Israeli government

The mandate

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Sunday tasked Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming the next government, assigning the former military chief a 28-day mandate to build a coalition after parliamentary elections left no bloc with a clear majority. Eisenkot formally received the mandate during a ceremony at the presidential residence in West Jerusalem, Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported.

Herzog’s decision followed consultations with Knesset parties, during which 67 lawmakers recommended Eisenkot compared to 46 for Netanyahu and seven who declined to endorse either candidate. Under Israeli law, Eisenkot now has 28 days to form a governing coalition, with the possibility of a 14-day extension.

‘Point of no return’

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Herzog said Eisenkot had secured clear support to form a government, calling for efforts to unite Israeli society and continue implementing the 20-point plan for the Gaza Strip. Eisenkot accepted the mandate “out of a deep sense of duty and an awareness of the weight of the responsibility,” warning that Israel was facing “a critical national emergency.”

“The objectives of the war have yet to be achieved, while we face a serious political and diplomatic crisis,” he said, adding that even Israel’s closest allies were calling for a reassessment of their relations with the country. “Israel is going through one of the most difficult periods in its democratic history. If the current situation continues, it could deteriorate to the point of no return,” Eisenkot said, stressing the urgent need for new leadership.

Negotiations ahead

Eisenkot invited Netanyahu’s Likud party and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism to join his government, though he made no mention of Jewish Power led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. He also left open the possibility of support from the United Arab List and the Joint List, acknowledging that mutual concessions would be necessary since not every campaign pledge could be honored.

“Anyone who tries to obstruct the formation of a government for personal rather than substantive reasons will go down in history as someone who failed to save Israel in its hour of emergency,” he said. Eisenkot noted that 74 Knesset members had expressed a lack of confidence in the continuation of Netanyahu’s government.

If Eisenkot fails to form a government within the allotted time, Herzog may task another Knesset member with the mandate, who would then have 28 days without possibility of extension. Should that effort fail, a majority of Knesset members may nominate a colleague to try to form a government within an additional 14 days.