Israel’s President, Isaac Herzog, is reported to have formally given the nod to opposition leader, Gadi Eisenkot, to form the country’s next government, in a major political setback for outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, CNN reports.
Eisenkot, a retired military chief and leader of the centrist Yashar party, secured the backing of 67 members of the incoming 120-seat Knesset, compared with just 46 recommendations for Netanyahu.
He will have 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension, to negotiate a coalition capable of replacing Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister.
However, the task is complicated by divisions within the opposition, particularly over whether to rely on support from Arab parties. While Eisenkot is considering a minority government backed by Arab lawmakers, opposition leader Avigdor Liberman has rejected the arrangement, warning it could pave the way for Netanyahu’s political comeback.
Netanyahu, who lost his parliamentary majority, has also opposed any government dependent on Arab parties and called instead for a broad national unity government.
Eisenkot’s emergence as the preferred candidate followed consultations by President Herzog with political parties. Notably, the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, traditionally an ally of Netanyahu, declined to recommend him.
Eisenkot has pledged to establish a national emergency government as quickly as possible. His first major political test is expected to come with the inauguration of the new Knesset on Tuesday.
If he fails to form a government within the stipulated period, the mandate could be transferred to Netanyahu.
Source: CNN