Israeli President Isaac Herzog has invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s main political rival and former army chief Gadi Eisenkot to form a new government.
The decision comes after no political alliance won a clear majority in parliament in the October 27 elections.
Netanyahu’s religious nationalist coalition government lost its majority in the election, but his alliance emerged as the largest bloc in parliament. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, is still trying to hold on to power.
President Isaac Herzog’s spokesman said the president had invited Gadi Eisenkot to the presidential residence where he would be tasked with forming a government. The president’s role in Israel is largely ceremonial and he invites a candidate to form a coalition government after elections.
According to Reuters, Eisenkot has ruled out forming a coalition with Arab parties, although their support could give him a majority in parliament. However, Arab party leaders, calling the policies of Netanyahu and his far-right allies racist, recommended giving them the first chance to try to form a government in support of Eisenkot.
Eisenkot said in a post on X that now is the time to form a “national emergency government” and that he would do everything possible to ensure that he is qualified for this responsibility.
