Eisenkot tasked with forming Israel’s government as coalition talks begin
President Herzog has tasked Gadi Eisenkot with forming a government. His alliance won 48 seats in the election and needs support from other parties to secure a majority.
This article was translated from Turkish with the help of artificial intelligence. Read the original (Türkçe)
Israeli President Isaac Herzog tasked opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming a new government on Sunday, 8 November. After no bloc secured a majority on its own in the 27 October election, Eisenkot’s priority will be to bring together parties willing to support his government in parliament.
In the 120-seat parliament, Eisenkot’s four-party alliance won 48 seats, while the bloc led by Benjamin Netanyahu secured 53. Arab parties won a total of 19 seats. This distribution makes support from outside the blocs decisive in forming a government.
Door open to Netanyahu joining
In his remarks at the appointment ceremony, Eisenkot said he was open to Netanyahu joining the new coalition. He said members of Likud and the Religious Zionism Party, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, could also support a government formed under his leadership.
Eisenkot received support from Arab parties for his nomination, but ruled out forming a government with them. If he secures support from United Torah Judaism and Shas, his alliance could reach 61 seats.
Former Chief of Staff Eisenkot said the country was facing an ongoing war on several fronts and a severe diplomatic crisis. Herzog also stressed the need for a stable government. Netanyahu continues to serve as caretaker prime minister while the government-formation process is under way.
Different accounts of the deadline and confidence-vote requirements
Sources give different accounts of the timetable for forming a government. One source says the 28-day legal period has begun and that Herzog can grant an additional 14 days if necessary, while another gives the period as six weeks.
There are also differing accounts of the parliamentary support required. One source says a government needs the approval of at least 61 members of parliament, while another reports that a government with fewer than 61 seats could also be formed if it wins a confidence vote. In both accounts, Eisenkot needs support from outside his current alliance.
Sources
- Al Jazeera — Jerusalem Daily: Eisenkot picked over Netanyahu to form government
- Al Jazeera — Eisenkot open to Netanyahu joining Israel’s next government
- Kıbrıs Gazetesi — İsrail Cumhurbaşkanı, Gadi Eisenkot’a yeni hükümeti kurma görevini resmen verdi
This article was prepared by compiling information from the sources above and rewriting it with the help of artificial intelligence. Our editorial principles
