Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he will announce on Sunday (November 8, 2026) whom he will task with trying to form a new government, after the opposition’s Gadi Eisenkot secured a commanding number of recommendations to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
asserted
Eisenkot → say → Netanyahu
Mr. Herzog held a second day of consultations with political parties on Thursday (November 5, 2026) after the October 27 election, in which neither Mr. Netanyahu — a polarising right-winger who has led Israel through three years of war — nor Mr. Eisenkot — a former military chief promising to restore national unity — secured enough votes for a majority.
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who → hold → majority
Mr. Herzog will make his choice, but traditionally the mandate is given to the person recommended by more parliament members.
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mandate → make → members
Sixty-seven picked Mr. Eisenkot, 46 opted for Mr. Netanyahu, while seven abstained.
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seven → pick → Netanyahu
“The results of the consultations may appear clear, but the authority vested in me by law is to determine who has the ability to form a government, and that is not entirely clear, given the mutual vetoes between the blocs and within the blocs themselves,” Mr. Herzog said on Thursday (November 5, 2026).
uncertain
Herzog → appear → Thursday
“I will try to determine this directly and quickly, in personal talks with some of the party leaders.”
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I → try → leaders
Mr. Eisenkot’s Yashar party said on Thursday (November 5, 2026) that “the citizens of Israel have chosen change and expressed a complete lack of confidence in outgoing Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government”, and called for the “immediate establishment of a national emergency government that will begin working for all citizens of Israel”.
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that → say → Israel
Two Arab-majority lists won an unprecedented 19 seats in the election, making them potential kingmakers if Mr. Eisenkot’s opposition chooses to work with them, which remains unclear.
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which → win → them
Both Arab lists on Thursday (November 5, 2026) said they were backing Mr. Eisenkot.
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they → say → Eisenkot
However, another party in Mr. Eisenkot’s camp, right-wing Israel Beiteinu, has repeatedly indicated it will not sit in a government that relies on support from Arab parties.
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that → indicate → parties
Party leader Avigdor Liberman, a former Netanyahu ally turned critic, cited as a reason the refusal by Arab parties to explicitly define Hamas as a “terror group” — even though they have repeatedly condemned the organisation’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
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they → turn → October
Meanwhile, United Torah Judaism, which backed Mr. Netanyahu after the previous five elections, in its meeting with Mr. Herzog declined to recommend Mr. Netanyahu again as premier, although it also did not side with Mr. Eisenkot.
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it → back → Eisenkot
The party informed Mr. Herzog “that it has decided not to recommend any member of the Knesset to form a government”, the president’s office said in a statement, referring to the 120-member parliament in which United Torah Judaism won seven seats.
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Judaism → inform → seats
Alongside Shas, another ultra-Orthodox party, they have pushed to maintain the exemption from military service for religious students.
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they → push → students
Mr. Netanyahu has preserved the exemption but stopped short of enshrining it in law, in the face of major resentment from many other Israelis, as reservists serve multiple tours due to the wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.
“In whatever government is next formed, our immediate item is sorting out the status of Torah students,” United Torah Judaism lawmaker Isaac Pindrus said.
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Pindrus → preserve → students
Mr. Eisenkot, who has tried to appeal to secular Israelis from left to right, has been adamant about ending exemptions for military service.
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who → try → service
Some of his opposition allies have criticised the ultra-Orthodox — who make up about 14% of the population but have far higher birthrates than secular Israelis — as a drain on the state.
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who → criticise → state
Observers say United Torah Judaism’s tactic is likely aimed mostly at punishing Mr. Netanyahu and showing that their votes cannot be taken for granted, while they would still serve in a government if he were to form one.
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he → say → one
Arab parties play key role
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parties → play → role
Once Mr. Herzog gives his mandate to a lawmaker, the person will have 28 days to form a government, with a potential 14-day extension.
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person → give → extension
If the lawmaker fails, Mr. Herzog will then task someone else.
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Herzog → fail → someone
Mr. Netanyahu’s bloc, including United Torah Judaism, has 53 seats in the new parliament, compared to 48 for Mr. Eisenkot’s bloc.
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bloc → include → bloc
Arab-majority parties scored historic gains on the back of anger over Mr. Netanyahu’s hard-right government and longstanding complaints about racism from some ministers and discriminatory treatment of Arab Israelis.
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parties → score → Israelis
Mr. Netanyahu has relentlessly attacked the opposition for even the prospect of an alliance with Arab lawmakers.
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Netanyahu → attack → lawmakers
In a video on Wednesday (November 4, 2026), Mr. Netanyahu alleged there were “serious suspicions” that foreign powers put money into the election and questioned the loyalty of Arab citizens.
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powers → allege → citizens
The Aporia
