Following the elections on October 27, President Isaac Herzog announced that Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief and the main challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will have the first opportunity to form a governing coalition. This decision comes in the wake of Netanyahu's coalition losing its parliamentary majority, while Eisenkot's bloc also failed to secure a majority.
The political environment is particularly complex due to the recent Hamas-led attacks and the historical gains made by Arab-led parties, which could play a crucial role as potential kingmakers.
Eisenkot has expressed a desire to establish a national emergency government, but forming a coalition will require navigating significant ideological divides and making compromises that could alienate voters. Netanyahu has been actively campaigning against any alliance between Eisenkot and the Arab parties, framing them as a threat to national security.
The potential for a unity government exists, but deep-seated differences between Eisenkot and Netanyahu, particularly regarding religious party demands and security investigations, complicate the situation further.
Eisenkot's party, Yashar, has criticized Netanyahu's rhetoric and emphasized the need for a coalition that aligns with their principles, indicating a challenging road ahead for coalition-building in Israel