Gadi Eisenkot Appointed to Form New Israeli Government Amid Political Deadlock
Following the parliamentary elections in which neither of the two main factions in Israel secured an absolute majority, Isaac Herzog, the President of the regime, appointed Gadi Eisenkot, former military chief and head of the Yesh Atid party, to form the new cabinet. This decision comes after extensive consultations with various parties holding a total of 67 parliamentary seats.
The opposition bloc led by Eisenkot has so far refrained from forming a coalition with Arab parties to reach a majority, although these parties, in talks with Herzog, have nominated him as the candidate to form the government. Meanwhile, parties allied with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party, holding 46 seats, have presented Netanyahu as the rival candidate.
According to the official statement from the President’s office, Gadi Eisenkot, after receiving his official mandate on Sunday, November 8, will have 28 days to form the cabinet coalition, with a 14-day extension possible if necessary.
The final results of the recent elections show Netanyahu’s coalition secured 53 seats, Eisenkot’s opposition bloc 48 seats, and Arab parties 19 seats out of the total 120 parliamentary seats. The complexity in forming the new government reflects deep political divisions and a challenging path ahead for establishing a cabinet in Israel.
