Netanyahu Faces Uncertain Future as Israel’s President Names Opposition Leader
Israeli President Herzog selects Gadi Eisenkot to form next government, challenging Netanyahu’s leadership.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting pressure as President Isaac Herzog has chosen opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to form the next government. The decision, announced on Saturday, marks a significant shift in the political landscape following last month’s general election.
Opposition Leader Set to Form Government
Herzog has tasked Eisenkot, a former Israeli military chief and leader of the Yashar party, with assembling a governing coalition. This follows the election results, where Netanyahu’s Likud party secured the most seats but failed to achieve a parliamentary majority.
Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while Eisenkot’s opposition alliance secured 48. Two Arab-led parties won another 19 seats. During consultations with Herzog, 67 lawmakers recommended Eisenkot for prime minister, compared with 46 who backed Netanyahu.
זו העת להקמת ממשלת חירום לאומית. אעשה הכל כדי שנהיה ראויים 🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/18Q3eIE6g0
Eisenkot, a former IDF commander and minister without portfolio in Netanyahu’s unity government, welcomed the decision. ‘This is the time to establish a national emergency government,’ he wrote on X. ‘I will do anything possible to prove us worthy.’
Challenges Ahead for Eisenkot
Under Israeli law, Eisenkot has 28 days to negotiate a governing coalition, with a possible 14-day extension if an outcome is likely. However, his path to power remains complicated by disagreements among opposition parties over whether to rely on support from Arab lawmakers.
Several opposition factions have expressed objections to forming a government dependent on Arab-led parties, despite their endorsement of Eisenkot. Netanyahu, who received the endorsement of President Trump in the run-up to the election, has also called for a unity government as negotiations continue.
Donald Trump endorses Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for re-election. pic.twitter.com/HMELA01W1G
The prime minister suffered another setback when United Torah Judaism, a longtime political ally, refused to support him during the presidential consultations. If Eisenkot fails to secure a parliamentary majority, Herzog could give another lawmaker, potentially Netanyahu, an opportunity to form a government.
Should those efforts also fail, Israel could face another election to try and break the deadlock. Netanyahu will remain in office in a caretaker capacity until a new government is sworn in.
Source: The Gateway Pundit
