Ex-military chief Gadi Eisenkot, opponent of Netanyahu, tapped to form government

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1. 20m ago

   Israel's president tasks Gadi Eisenkot with forming new government

   President Isaac Herzog has given former military chief Gadi Eisenkot a 28-day mandate to form a coalition government, bypassing incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Eisenkot, who leads the Yashar party, is Netanyahu's main opposition rival. The decision follows consultations with party leaders after the latest election produced no clear majority. Eisenkot now faces the difficult task of assembling a governing coalition from ideologically diverse parties that agree on little beyond removing Netanyahu.

   Why it matters

   Israel has been in political deadlock through multiple elections, with Netanyahu unable to secure a stable right-wing majority while facing corruption charges. Herzog's choice of Eisenkot, a former IDF chief of staff with a centrist security profile, signals a potential shift toward a broad-based unity government. However, the anti-Netanyahu bloc spans from left-wing parties to Arab lists and right-wing defectors, making coalition arithmetic extremely fragile.

   What is confirmed

   • President Isaac Herzog tasked Gadi Eisenkot with forming the next Israeli government.
   • Eisenkot is a former IDF chief of staff and heads the Yashar party.
   • Eisenkot has 28 days to build a coalition.
   • Benjamin Netanyahu was not given the first mandate despite being the incumbent prime minister.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Ra'am party may support an Eisenkot-led government without a formal coalition agreement.
   • Eisenkot's coalition-building faces serious challenges due to ideological divisions among anti-Netanyahu parties.

   What to watch next

   • Whether Eisenkot can secure a 61-seat Knesset majority within 28 days
   • If the mandate returns to the Knesset or goes to Netanyahu if Eisenkot fails
   • Potential coalition agreements with Yesh Atid, National Unity, Yisrael Beiteinu, and Arab parties
   Sources used for this update (15)

   1. www.hindustantimes.com — Stock market today: S&P 500, Dow Jones, Nasdaq futures fall as US inflation hits 3.7% in September | Hindustan Times
   2. CNN — Eisenkot to be tasked with forming next Israeli government
   3. The Jerusalem Post — Yashar's Eisenkot to receive mandate to form new government, president announces
   4. The New York Times — Eisenkot, Netanyahu Rival and Opposition Leader, Tapped to Try to Form Government
   5. Al Jazeera — Israel’s president picks Eisenkot over Netanyahu to form next government
   6. abcnews.com — Netanyahu challenger Eisenkot to be tasked with forming new ...
   7. The Washington Post — Ex-military chief Gadi Eisenkot, opponent of Netanyahu, tapped to form government
   8. The Times of Israel — Report: Ra’am will vote for new Eisenkot-led government even without coalition deal
   9. Ynetnews — To replace Netanyahu, Israel’s opposition must learn to be smart, not just right
   10. The Jerusalem Post — Gadi Eisenkot wins mandate as coalition building faces serious challenges
   11. The Independent — Israel’s president picks Netanyahu rival Gadi Eisenkot to form government
   12. Al Jazeera — The anti-Netanyahu: Can Gadi Eisenkot give the world a different Israel?
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