Israel’s Eisenkot gets first mandate to form government, aiming to oust Netanyahu

 Centrist challenger and former general Gadi Eisenkot will receive the first mandate to form a new Israeli government on Sunday, President Isaac Herzog’s office announced, bringing him a step closer to unseating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

Following the Oct. 27 election, neither candidate’s political camp secured a clear majority in the 120-seat parliament. While Eisenkot’s bloc won 48 seats - falling short of Netanyahu’s 53 - lawmakers representing 67 seats have officially endorsed the ex-general to lead the country.

Eisenkot, 66, will have up to six weeks to assemble a ruling coalition. If ideological rifts among his potential partners derail the effort, the mandate could revert to Netanyahu, who continues to serve as caretaker prime minister.

Arab parties hold the balance

Eisenkot’s path to the premiership relies heavily on two parties representing Israel’s Arab minority, which capitalized on surging turnout to secure 19 parliamentary seats.

Allying with these factions would require Eisenkot to navigate significant political landmines. The Arab parties have historically been excluded from national governance, and incorporating them would mean accepting their refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state or to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization. That presents a steep hurdle for Eisenkot, a former armed forces chief who lost a son and two nephews serving as soldiers in the Gaza war.

If successful, an Eisenkot government would consign Netanyahu and his hard-right allies to the opposition. The six-term prime minister’s policies during the conflicts with Hamas and Hezbollah have drawn international censure and pushed Israel toward global isolation.

While Eisenkot has pledged to reverse the country’s diplomatic course, his broader security platform mirrors his rival’s. Like Netanyahu, Eisenkot rejects the establishment of a Palestinian state and maintains a hawkish stance against a nuclear-armed Iran.