8.11.2026
Gadi Eisenkot will formally get the chance to put together Israel’s next government after elections on 27 October left neither of the main political parties with an overall majority.
The former army chief will go to the residence of President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem to discuss his plans to create a coalition to rule in the 120-seat parliament.
On Saturday, after days of consultations with the parties contesting the elections, Herzog chose Eisenkot to have the first chance to govern ahead of outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
After an official ceremony, Eisenkot will launch negotiations with potential coalition partners. He will have up to six weeks to form a government.
Eisenkot, 66, has declined to join forces with Arab parties, whose support would give him a majority of seats in parliament.
But Arab leaders, incensed by what they view as the racist policies of Netanyahu and his far-right allies, still nominated Eisenkot to try to form a government first — giving him the most endorsements.
“Now is the time to form a national emergency government,” said Eisenkot on social media. “I will do everything I can to ensure we are worthy.”
Eisenkot’s Yashar party emerged as the second-largest party with 21 seats, while his coalition, spanning four centre-left to right-wing Jewish-led parties, won 48 seats. Two parties representing Israel’s Arab minority won an unprecedented 19 seats.
A son of Moroccan immigrants, Eisenkot would be the country’s first prime minister from Israel’s Mizrahi community – Jews who trace their roots to the Middle East and North Africa.
Reserved and media-shy, Eisenkot only entered politics in 2022. He briefly served in Netanyahu’s wartime cabinet following Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, before returning to the opposition. RFI