Former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot formally received the mandate to form Israel’s next government on Sunday, starting the clock on a coalition hunt that could end Benjamin Netanyahu’s long hold on power, or send the country back to the polls. Eisenkot, who leads the Yashar party, accepted the task from President Isaac Herzog at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Herzog announced his choice on Saturday, as Upstormed News reported in Saturday’s Daily Briefing. Sunday’s ceremony made it official.
The numbers behind the mandate
Eisenkot was recommended for prime minister by parties holding 67 of the Knesset’s 120 seats, while Netanyahu received 46, according to The Times of Israel and The Jerusalem Post. United Torah Judaism, a longtime Netanyahu partner with seven seats, recommended no one.
Recommendations are not the same as a governing majority. The Jerusalem Post noted that Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats in the Oct. 27 election and the opposition bloc 48, with neither reaching the 61 needed to govern. Both Arab parties, Ra’am and the Joint List, which together won a record 19 seats, backed Eisenkot without committing to join his coalition. Likud remains the largest single party, with 27 seats.
The clock and the options
Eisenkot has 28 days to assemble a government, and Herzog can extend that by up to 14 more. If he fails, Netanyahu could get a chance, and another election is possible.
Eisenkot called for a “national emergency government,” said Israel is in a state of emergency and declared that his door is open, inviting members of Likud and the Religious Zionist party to join, the Post reported. But he has said he will not partner with Netanyahu, and that anyone in a major leadership role on Oct. 7, 2023, should leave public life, according to The Times of Israel.
His Yashar party has set four principles for any partner: recognizing Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, accepting the values of the Declaration of Independence, mandatory national service for all and treating Hamas as a terrorist organization whose military and governing power must be destroyed.
The hard math
Every path has obstacles. Hawkish members of Eisenkot’s own bloc oppose relying on the Arab parties, The Times of Israel reported. Many in the bloc also campaigned on sending both Netanyahu and the ultra-Orthodox parties into opposition.
Yet talks with the ultra-Orthodox parties have quietly opened. Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman said he would accept “painful compromises” on ultra-Orthodox military enlistment to form a government without Netanyahu or the Arab parties. United Torah Judaism’s leader said he was open to discussions but had received no proposal. The Times of Israel calculated that the 48-seat bloc plus UTJ’s seven seats, with Shas not opposing, would yield a razor-thin 61.
Netanyahu, for his part, has called for a national unity government that would include his former right-wing and religious allies, and warned against any government backed by Arab parties.
Why it matters
Israel’s next government will face decisions on regional conflict, Gaza and hostages, ultra-Orthodox military service and relations with Washington. Eisenkot has framed the moment as a national emergency, while Netanyahu argues that a government relying on Arab parties would harm the country. How the coalition math is resolved will decide which of those visions leads.
For families following events in the Holy Land, it is also a reminder to pray for wisdom for leaders and peace for all who live there.
What to watch next
Watch whether United Torah Judaism and Shas move toward Eisenkot, whether any Likud members break with Netanyahu, and how the Arab parties position themselves. Upstormed News will follow the coalition talks over the coming weeks.
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What do you think Israel’s next government should focus on first? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Sources: The Jerusalem Post, “Eisenkot receives mandate from Herzog to form new government at President’s Residence” (November 8, 2026); The Times of Israel, “President Herzog taps Eisenkot to form coalition, but path remains fraught” (November 7-8, 2026); NPR, “Israel’s president taps opposition candidate, not Netanyahu, to form a government” (November 7, 2026)
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