Israeli President Isaac Herzog has asked opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to try to form Israel’s next government. Herzog announced the choice on Saturday, November 7, after two days of consultations in which 67 of the 120 members of the Knesset recommended Eisenkot, while 46 recommended Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Eisenkot will formally receive the mandate at a ceremony at the president’s residence in Jerusalem on Sunday, November 8, at 5 p.m. local time. From that moment he will have 28 days to build a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension. The decision hands Netanyahu’s chief rival the first chance to end the prime minister’s long run in office, but the numbers show that Eisenkot still faces a very hard path to a majority.
Table of Contents
Quick Facts
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Decision announced | Saturday, November 7, 2026, by President Isaac Herzog |
| Chosen to form a government | Gadi Eisenkot, opposition leader and head of the centrist Yashar party |
| Formal mandate ceremony | Sunday, November 8, at 5 p.m. Israel time, at the president’s residence in Jerusalem |
| Time to build a coalition | 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension |
| Knesset recommendations | 67 for Eisenkot, 46 for Netanyahu, 7 declined to recommend either |
| Election result, October 27 | Likud won 27 seats, the most of any single party; Netanyahu’s bloc won 53; Eisenkot’s alliance won 48; two Arab-led parties won 19 |
| Seats needed for a majority | 61 of 120 |
| Eisenkot’s background | Former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, 2015 to 2019, aged 66 |
| Current prime minister | Benjamin Netanyahu, who remains caretaker prime minister during the talks |
How Herzog Reached His Decision
Herzog spent two days meeting the parties elected to the Knesset on October 27. In Israel, voters do not directly elect the head of government. Instead, the president consults each party and then asks the candidate with the best chance of building a majority to try to form a government. Herzog said he informed both Eisenkot and Netanyahu of his decision after holding talks with figures across the political spectrum.
The consultation numbers gave Herzog a clear starting point. Factions representing 67 of the 120 Knesset members recommended Eisenkot, while 46 recommended Netanyahu. The remaining seven members, from the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, declined to recommend either candidate. Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party said the 67 recommendations were the most any candidate had received since 2015.
But Herzog himself warned that the numbers do not tell the whole story. In a statement on November 5 he said, “The results of the consultations may appear clear,” and then cautioned that competing political demands and vetoes have left the prospects for forming a government uncertain. That warning matters, because a recommendation is a statement of preference, not a vote in the Knesset.
The Numbers That Make This So Difficult
The October 27 election produced no clear winner. Netanyahu’s Likud won 27 seats, more than any other single party, and his wider religious-nationalist bloc won 53 seats. That is eight short of the 61 needed for a majority. Gadi Eisenkot’s four–party alliance won 48 seats. The two Arab-led parties, the Joint List and Ra’am, won 19 seats between them, a record result, and both recommended Eisenkot.
Add the 48 and the 19 together and you get the 67 recommendations. But Eisenkot has said he will not form a government with the Arab-led parties, and nearly every Jewish party in his opposition bloc had already ruled out governing with them before the election. Without those 19 seats, his alliance holds only 48, which is 13 short of a majority.
The gap leaves Eisenkot with only a few routes to 61. He could try to peel away lawmakers from Netanyahu’s bloc, including the ultra-Orthodox parties that declined to recommend anyone. He could try to form a unity government with Netanyahu, though both men have publicly rejected that idea so far. Or he could try to build a government that relies on the Arab-led parties from outside the coalition, an option his own partners have resisted.
Netanyahu’s position is also weaker than it looks. His bloc won more seats than Eisenkot’s alliance, but he too is short of a majority, and he received fewer recommendations than his rival. His path back to power is still open if Eisenkot fails. If Eisenkot cannot build a coalition within six weeks, Herzog must give another candidate a chance, and that candidate is likely to be Netanyahu.
Who Is Gadi Eisenkot
Gadi Eisenkot, 66, is a former general who served as chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces from 2015 to 2019. He spent decades in the military before entering politics, and he now leads the centrist Yashar party, which he founded on a platform of fighting corruption and reforming government.
Eisenkot is a political newcomer compared with Netanyahu, who has led Israel on and off for nearly two decades and is the country’s longest-serving prime minister. But Eisenkot’s military record gives him credibility on security, which is central to Israeli politics, and his party’s anti-corruption message found an audience in an election where voters were looking for change.
His first public response to Herzog’s decision was short and direct. “Now is the time to form a national emergency government,” Eisenkot wrote on social media. “I will do everything to ensure we are worthy.”
The National Emergency Government Plan
Eisenkot has set out four founding principles for the government he wants to build. The first is recognition of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. The second is acceptance of the values of Israel’s Declaration of Independence. The third is universal military, national or civilian service. The fourth is recognition of Hamas as a terrorist organization, alongside a commitment to dismantle its military and governing capabilities.
He has said he will invite lawmakers from across the political spectrum to join his government if they accept those principles. The plan starts with the four parties already committed to replacing Netanyahu, while leaving the door open for additional parties and lawmakers to join.
The wider region is watching closely. The war in Gaza remains central to the political debate, and the winter storm that recently flooded tens of thousands of tents sheltering displaced families there has added to the pressure for a stable government, as covered in our report on the Gaza winter storm that flooded 70,000 tents. The regional picture also includes rising tension with Iran, where Tehran has just lifted its long-standing limit on missile range, as covered in our report on Iran lifting its missile range limit.
The Obstacles Ahead
The hardest problem is the Arab-led parties. Their 19 seats gave Eisenkot his recommendation majority, and their leaders want a real role in ending Netanyahu’s time in office. Ahmad Tibi of the Joint List said, “We want to do things that we did not do in the past in order to remove this criminal government.” But Gadi Eisenkot has stipulated conditions the Arab parties must meet, including recognizing Hamas as a terrorist organization, and he has ruled out forming a government with them.
Netanyahu is fighting back. On Saturday he called for the formation of a unity government, a proposal Eisenkot has repeatedly rejected, saying he will not form a government with Netanyahu. Netanyahu has also warned in a social media post that Eisenkot may “hastily swear in a government, already next week, with terrorism supporters.” Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the secular nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu party, has said he would oppose a government that depends on the Arab-led parties.
The United States is part of the picture too. President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu ahead of the election, writing on social media that anyone other than him would be the “wrong leader” of Israel. If Eisenkot succeeds, the nature of the relationship between Washington and Jerusalem could change. Trump has also said the United States will end its 4 billion dollar annual aid to Israel by the end of 2026, a decision covered in our report on Trump ending 4 billion dollars in annual aid to Israel.
What Happens Next
The formal ceremony takes place on Sunday, November 8, at 5 p.m. Israel time at the president’s residence in Jerusalem. From that moment, the 28-day clock starts. Herzog can grant a further 14 days if Eisenkot asks for more time and shows progress, giving him up to six weeks in total.
Gadi Eisenkot’s first task is to turn recommendations into signed agreements. He needs to find 13 more seats beyond his alliance’s 48, and every option involves persuading lawmakers who have so far refused to work with each other. The ultra-Orthodox parties, who declined to recommend anyone, are the most likely source of extra seats, but winning them over could alienate his secular partners.
The new Knesset will be sworn in on November 10, and the race for speaker could give an early sign of where the balance of power lies. If Eisenkot’s bloc can win the speaker’s chair, it would show that his coalition is real. If Likud blocks it, it would show that Netanyahu still controls the chamber.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Herzog pick Eisenkot when Netanyahu’s bloc won more seats?
Herzog is not required to pick the candidate whose bloc won the most seats. He picks the candidate with the best chance of building a majority, based on the consultations with all parties. Eisenkot received 67 recommendations against 46 for Netanyahu, which made him the natural first choice.
How long does Eisenkot have to form a government?
Gadi Eisenkot has 28 days from the formal handover of the mandate on Sunday, November 8. Herzog can extend that by up to 14 more days, giving Eisenkot a maximum of six weeks. If he fails, the mandate is expected to pass to another candidate, most likely Netanyahu.
Can Eisenkot become prime minister without the Arab parties?
It is very difficult. His alliance holds 48 seats and needs 61. The Arab-led parties hold 19 seats, but Eisenkot has ruled out governing with them, and his own partners oppose it. He would need to win over lawmakers from other blocs, most plausibly the ultra-Orthodox parties.
What happens if Eisenkot fails to form a government?
Herzog must then ask another candidate, likely Netanyahu, to try. If that attempt also fails, Israel could be heading for another election after a series of deadlocked votes.
Sources
Fox News, “Israeli president taps Netanyahu rival to form government as coalition battle looms”: https://foxnews.com/world/israeli-president-picks-netanyahu-rival-form-government-coalition-battle-looms
USA Today, “Eisenkot, Netanyahu’s top rival, tapped to form government in Israel”: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2026/11/07/eisenkot-netanyahu-rival-tapped-to-form-government-in-israel/92663505007/
The Wall Street Journal, “Netanyahu’s Challenger Tapped to Try to Form Israeli Government”: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/netanyahus-challenger-tapped-to-try-to-form-israeli-government-583fd2da
Washington Examiner, “Herzog picks Israeli opposition leader to form coalition government”: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/world/4796596/herzog-pick-israel-opposition-leader-coalition-gadi-eisenkot/
Final Thoughts
Herzog’s decision is a major moment in Israeli politics. For the first time in years, the initiative has moved away from Netanyahu. But the decision is only the start. Gadi Eisenkot now has to solve a puzzle that has defeated every other politician in this election: how to turn 48 seats into 61 without breaking the promises that got him here. If he fails, the mandate passes to another candidate, most likely Netanyahu, and Israel could face yet another election. The next 28 days will show whether his coalition is real or whether the recommendation numbers were only a mirage.
