{"id":12524,"date":"2026-11-08T16:16:21","date_gmt":"2026-11-08T16:16:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/2026\/11\/08\/whats-next-for-israel-as-eisenkot-tapped-to-lead-government-national-globalnews-ca\/"},"modified":"2026-11-08T16:16:21","modified_gmt":"2026-11-08T16:16:21","slug":"whats-next-for-israel-as-eisenkot-tapped-to-lead-government-national-globalnews-ca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/2026\/11\/08\/whats-next-for-israel-as-eisenkot-tapped-to-lead-government-national-globalnews-ca\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s next for Israel as Eisenkot tapped to lead government? – National | Globalnews.ca"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Israeli President Isaac Herzog gave opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot<\/a> the first chance to form the next government<\/a> on Sunday evening.<\/p>\n

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After the formal announcement, Eisenkot, who ran as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s main rival, now has to launch complicated negotiations with potential coalition partners. He has six weeks to form a government.<\/p>\n

At the ceremony in Jerusalem, Eisenkot said he wanted a leadership that people can trust, that will act in the interests of the public and that represents all parts of society.<\/p>\n

The Oct. 27 election gave neither Netanyahu\u2019s bloc nor Eisenkot a clear majority in parliament. Among the kingmakers \u2014 and most politically fraught potential allies \u2014 are the Arab-led parties. They made historic gains in the election and have been a target of Netanyahu and his allies.<\/p>\n

Eisenkot said Sunday that the conditions for parties joining his governing coalition are support for Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, for its declaration of independence, for military or national service, and recognizing the Hamas militant group as a terrorist organization.<\/p>\n

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While the announcement doesn\u2019t guarantee that Eisenkot will be the next prime minister, Herzog\u2019s decision is another blow to Netanyahu, who lost his parliamentary majority in the election.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a closer look at what lies ahead:<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tThere was no clear winner\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

In Israel, people vote for parties, which form alliances. A coalition needs to have a majority of at least 61 seats in the 120-member assembly, known as the Knesset, to form a government.<\/p>\n

Neither Netanyahu nor Eisenkot secured a majority in the election. Netanyahu\u2019s coalition plunged from a peak of 68 seats to just 53. The opposition bloc, led by Eisenkot, won 48 seats, and Arab-led parties secured the other 19.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tEisenkot faces significant challenges on the road to becoming prime minister\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Eisenkot has three options: a power-sharing agreement with Netanyahu, support from Arab-led parties \u2014 something several members of his bloc do not support \u2014 or an agreement with the ultra-Orthodox parties, which demand military exemptions for their community.<\/p>\n

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Eisenkot, a former army chief, and his partners made equal military service a central part of their campaign. Specifically, they are seeking an end to the long-standing draft exemptions enjoyed by the ultra-Orthodox.<\/p>\n

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After Herzog announced Saturday that he would tap Eisenkot, the candidate vowed to form a government as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n

But doing so will almost certainly require compromises or broken promises.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tNetanyahu presses unsubstantiated claims against Arab voters\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Netanyahu has repeatedly claimed the election was \u201cstolen\u201d by Arab parties, which rallied their supporters to vote in large numbers. But he has offered little evidence to support the claims.<\/p>\n

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Netanyahu is expected to continue his pressure tactics against Eisenkot, saying any alliance with the Arab parties would be an act of betrayal.<\/p>\n

Israel\u2019s Shin Bet security agency has launched an investigation into possible foreign interference in the vote, but the country\u2019s Central Elections Commission \u2014 and Herzog \u2014 say the vote was valid and even if wrongdoing is found, it did not have a significant impact on the result.<\/p>\n

Netanyahu called for a \u201cnational unity\u201d government with Eisenkot on Saturday night. But it remains unclear whether the two rivals could agree on a power-sharing agreement, and these coalitions are fragile and often collapse.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tSupport from Arab-led parties faces opposition within Eisenkot\u2019s bloc\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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