Israel's president tasks Eisenkot with forming government

· Politics · Israel

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Saturday gave Gadi Eisenkot, the opposition challenger who ran against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the first mandate to form a government after a deadlocked election. Eisenkot has 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension, to secure 61 seats in the Knesset. Neither Netanyahu's bloc nor the opposition won a majority in last week's vote. Eisenkot, a former army chief, has said he is making progress in efforts to unseat Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving premier. The move is a setback for Netanyahu, whose coalition lost its majority. Democrats' sweep of the US Congress may add urgency to efforts by Israel's divided opposition to join forces, analysts say.

Why it matters：The mandate is the first real chance in years to end Netanyahu's record-long tenure, and the outcome will shape Israel's policy toward Gaza, Iran and its US alliance.

Key points

  • Eisenkot has 28 days to build a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension.
  • Neither Netanyahu's bloc nor the opposition secured a Knesset majority in the election.
  • Eisenkot ran as the main challenger to Netanyahu.

Sources (original reporting)

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