Netanyahu rival Eisenkot tapped to form Israeli government

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1. 47m ago

   Herzog tasks Gadi Eisenkot with forming Israel’s next government

   Israeli President Isaac Herzog formally tasked opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming the country’s next government, giving Netanyahu’s chief rival the first attempt to build a coalition. Eisenkot, a former Israeli military chief, now has 28 days to assemble parliamentary support after an inconclusive election left the leadership in limbo. Netanyahu lost the majority that kept him in power, but Eisenkot faces a difficult coalition-building task. The selection does not yet establish a new government or end Netanyahu’s tenure.

   Why it matters

   Herzog said he held “in-depth talks” with Netanyahu and Eisenkot before choosing Eisenkot. The decision follows an indecisive national election last month and comes as Netanyahu’s grip on power weakens. Eisenkot leads the Yashar party and is described by reporting as a center-right figure, while the path to a coalition remains complicated.

   What is confirmed

   • Israeli President Isaac Herzog selected Gadi Eisenkot to attempt to form Israel’s next government.
   • Gadi Eisenkot will have 28 days to form a coalition.
   • Herzog said he held “in-depth talks” with Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot before making his decision.
   • An inconclusive national election last month left Israel’s leadership in limbo.
   • Benjamin Netanyahu lost the parliamentary majority that kept him in power over the past four years.
   • Gadi Eisenkot is the head of the Yashar party and a former Israeli military chief.

   What to watch next

   • Whether Eisenkot secures enough parliamentary support to form a coalition within the 28-day mandate.
   • Whether Netanyahu’s bloc supports or opposes an Eisenkot-led government.
   • Whether the presidential decision produces a new government or returns the mandate to another candidate.
   Sources used for this update (21)

   1. www.livenowfox.com — Apple unveils 1st touchscreen MacBook Pro after years of resistance
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   3. CNN — Eisenkot to be tasked with forming next Israeli government
   4. Al Jazeera — Israel’s president picks Eisenkot over Netanyahu to form next government
   5. abcnews.com — Netanyahu challenger Eisenkot to be tasked with forming new ...
   6. Axios — Netanyahu rival Eisenkot tapped to form Israeli government
   7. kare11.com — AP News in Brief at 12:04 a.m. EST
   8. South China Morning Post — Who is Eisenkot, the former Israeli general expected to replace Netanyahu?
   9. Haaretz — Analysis • Netanyahu has never been more desperate. His unity plea says it all
   10. The New York Times — Who Is Gadi Eisenkot, the Israeli Tasked With Forming a Government?
   11. NPR — Israel's president taps opposition candidate, not Netanyahu, to form a government
   12. CNN — In setback to Netanyahu, rival Eisenkot to be tasked with forming next Israeli government. But the path remains complicated
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