Israeli Opposition Leader Gadi Eisenkot Secures Support to Form New Government

Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot secured recommendations from 67 parliamentarians to form Israel's next governing coalition, surpassing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who received 46 recommendations.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog will announce on Sunday which political figure receives the mandate to form a government, following two days of consultations with political factions in the 120 seat Knesset. Eisenkot leads a change bloc of four Zionist parties holding 48 seats in the incoming parliament, requiring support from outside parties to reach the 61 seat majority threshold.

To expand his support, Eisenkot moderated longtime demands that ultra-Orthodox Jews serve in the military, opening a path toward an alliance with religious parties, and also gained endorsements from Arab-majority parties. Netanyahu remains the head of a caretaker government after serving 19 years across three tenures as prime minister. Neither bloc secured a governing majority in last month's election, where Yashar won 21 seats, the highest total of any party not aligned with Netanyahu.

Once tasked by Herzog, Eisenkot will have 28 days to negotiate a coalition agreement, with a potential 14-day extension permitted by the president. If Eisenkot fails to build a majority, another candidate could receive the mandate or the country faces another round of elections.