Israel's President Herzog formally hands Eisenkot the mandate to form a national emergency government

Israeli President Isaac Herzog officially tasked Gadi Eisenkot, the retired military chief and leader of the centrist Yashar party, with forming Israel's next government at a mandate-conferral ceremony in Jerusalem on November 8. The formal handover marks a significant blow to incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who received only 46 Knesset recommendations compared to Eisenkot's 67, including support from two Arab parties.

Eisenkot has 28 days to assemble a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension, giving him up to six weeks in total. Speaking at the ceremony, he called the moment a state of emergency and pledged to lead the formation of a national emergency government, urging all parties to join. Herzog echoed that urgency, saying the new government must address serious security and economic challenges, preserve national unity, and ensure that Trump's Gaza plan, Lebanon negotiations, and the fight against terrorism continue.

Eisenkot's path to a working coalition remains complicated. His Yashar party emerged from the October 27 election as the leading opposition force, but assembling a majority without ideologically incompatible partners is a steep challenge. If he fails within his allotted time, Netanyahu would likely receive his own chance to form a government.