Israel's President Tasks Gadi Eisenkot With Forming a Government

President Isaac Herzog has asked opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to form Israel’s next government after an election left parliament without a majority for either main bloc.

Netanyahu’s camp won 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, while Eisenkot’s bloc won 48.

Two Arab-led alliances won 19 seats, giving them potential influence over which government can take shape.

But Eisenkot’s bloc is divided over whether to rely on their support, and he is also exploring other possible partners, including ultra-Orthodox parties and Netanyahu’s Likud.

Israel’s governments are formed by coalitions because no single party has ever won an outright majority.

Eisenkot has 28 days to build a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension; if he fails, Netanyahu could get the next chance.