Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Saturday night that he will give opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot the first chance to form Israel’s next government, a major setback for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The announcement came a day earlier than expected. Herzog said he will formally hand Eisenkot the mandate on Sunday at 5 p.m. at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem.
Eisenkot, a former military chief who leads the Yashar party, was Netanyahu’s main challenger in the Oct. 27 election. Upstormed News reported earlier this week that Israel’s opposition was reporting coalition progress as Herzog prepared his pick. Now that pick has been made.
Why Herzog chose Eisenkot
In Israel, the president consults every party after an election and asks the lawmaker with the best chance of building a majority to try first. During consultations that ended Thursday, parties representing 67 of the Knesset’s 120 members recommended Eisenkot, compared with 46 for Netanyahu, according to The Times of Israel and Ynet. Herzog called the result clear. The Times of Israel said it was the most recommendations for any candidate since 2015.
Eisenkot now has 28 days to put together a coalition, and he can ask Herzog for up to 14 more days if needed, Ynet and Al Jazeera reported. A government needs the support of at least 61 lawmakers.
The tricky math
Recommendations are not the same as a working coalition. According to Al Jazeera, Eisenkot’s four-party alliance won 48 seats, Netanyahu’s right-wing and religious bloc won 53, and Arab-led parties won a record 19. The two Arab-led parties, the Joint List and Ra’am, were among those that recommended Eisenkot.
That leaves Eisenkot with hard choices. Al Jazeera noted that bringing in the two ultra-Orthodox parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, would give him exactly 61 seats. Another path would rely on support from Arab-led parties. The Associated Press reported that Eisenkot has said he would be open to working with them under certain conditions, including calling Hamas a terrorist group that must be destroyed. His party says it will only include parties and lawmakers who support its principles.
Netanyahu calls for unity
Shortly before Herzog’s announcement, Netanyahu released a video calling for a national unity government, his first such call since the election. “This is the will of the people, and this is what the hour demands,” he said, according to Ynet.
In the same video, Netanyahu warned against what the AP described as an apparent reference to the Arab-led parties, saying a government should not be hastily sworn in with the support of what he called terrorist supporters. Netanyahu and his allies have portrayed those parties as a security threat.
Yashar answered on social media. It called Netanyahu’s speech hysterical, Ynet reported, and said it would only join a unity government if Netanyahu cut ties with the parties it calls extremists in his bloc. The AP said Yashar also urged Likud members to step away from their alliance with what it called radical parties.
Background
Netanyahu is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister. The election came as Israel’s relationship with Washington is shifting; Upstormed News recently reported that Trump says the U.S. will end $4 billion a year in aid to Israel by year end. The region also remains tense, with the U.S. carrying out new strikes on Iran on Friday.
The new Knesset is set to be sworn in on Tuesday, Nov. 10, and is expected to choose a new speaker to replace Likud’s Amir Ohana, according to The Times of Israel.
Why it matters for families
Israel’s next government will shape decisions on security, the war with Iran, hostages and regional diplomacy that affect families across the Middle East and Americans with loved ones there. For many people of faith, events in the Holy Land are also followed closely in prayer. A peaceful, lawful handover of the chance to govern, while the debate is heated, is a reminder of how democracies settle disagreements.
What to watch next
- Sunday’s formal ceremony at the President’s Residence.
- The Knesset swearing-in and speaker vote on Nov. 10.
- Whether Shas and United Torah Judaism open talks with Eisenkot.
- Whether any form of unity government between Yashar and Likud becomes possible.
Coalition talks in Israel can take weeks. Upstormed News will follow each step.
Read more: Israel’s opposition reports coalition progress as Herzog prepares Sunday pick
What do you think: can Israel’s parties find a stable government this time? Tell us in the comments.
Sources: Associated Press via News4JAX, “Israel’s president taps opposition candidate Eisenkot to form a government, in setback for Netanyahu” (November 7, 2026); Ynet, “After meeting Netanyahu, Herzog to task Eisenkot with forming government” (November 7, 2026); Al Jazeera, “Israel’s president picks Eisenkot over Netanyahu to form next government” (November 7, 2026); The Times of Israel, “Herzog says he’ll task a would-be PM on Sunday, after Eisenkot is recommended by 67 of 120 MKs” (November 6, 2026); The Jerusalem Post, “Yashar’s Gadi Eisenkot to receive mandate to form new government” (November 7, 2026).
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