Key facts
- Herzog said Eisenkot received the clearest support from a majority of Knesset members.
- Eisenkot received 67 recommendations from Knesset members, against 46 for Netanyahu, DW reported.
- Eisenkot said he is committed to establishing a national emergency government.
- Eisenkot said he will send an official approach to all Knesset members for talks.
- Herzog can extend Eisenkot's 28-day mandate by 14 days, DW reported.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog formally gave opposition politician Gadi Eisenkot the first chance to form the next government on Sunday evening, November 8, 2026. The move marked a step in the former military chief's effort to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after elections held in a divided country.
Eisenkot, who heads the centrist Yashar party, will have 28 days to secure a coalition, with Herzog able to prolong the mandate by 14 days, DW reported. Yashar was the second-biggest party in the October elections with 21 seats, behind Netanyahu's Likud with 27, but more Knesset members recommended Eisenkot, DW reported: 67 against 46 for Netanyahu.
Herzog said Eisenkot received the clearest support from a majority of Knesset members. "The challenges we face are giant," Herzog said, citing Iran's threats and the need to proceed with Trump's 20-point plan in Gaza and to negotiate the future with Lebanon and other neighbors. He said Israel needs a stable government that faces these challenges.
Eisenkot said he is committed to establishing a national emergency government. "We do not have the privilege of endless rounds of elections," he said, adding that he will send an official approach to all Knesset members, as parties and individuals, for talks. He said the public is in the most complicated political situation since Israel's establishment.
If Eisenkot fails to form a coalition, Herzog can pass the task to another Knesset member, with Netanyahu expected to be second in line, DW reported. If no one can form a government, Israel would likely head to another round of elections.