Israeli President Herzog Taps Eisenkot to Form New Government as Netanyahu Calls for Unity Coalition

Israeli President Isaac Herzog granted the mandate to form a new government to Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the opposition and Netanyahu's main political rival, on November 7. Eisenkot now has 28 days to assemble a coalition capable of commanding a majority in the 120-seat Knesset, following an election that left neither bloc with the 61 seats needed to govern outright.

The move came on the same day that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly called for the formation of a unity government, framing the moment as an opportunity for cross-party cooperation. Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats party, rejected that framing directly, stating that Netanyahu's government must be replaced and that every effort should be made to form a change government instead.

Herzog's decision to bypass Netanyahu and hand the mandate to Eisenkot reflects the recommendation tallies gathered from party leaders, a standard step in Israel's coalition-building process before the president designates a formateur. Eisenkot secured broader backing in those consultations despite Netanyahu's Likud leading in raw seat count. The coming 28-day negotiating window will determine whether Eisenkot can stitch together a stable majority, with Arab party support and the positions of smaller factions likely to be decisive.