Israel’s president has chosen Gadi Eisenkot, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strongest rival, to try to form a new government, after a deadlocked election that left neither man with a clear path to power.
Isaac Herzog’s office said he had informed Eisenkot, the leader of the Yashar party, on Saturday night “of his intention to task him with forming a government”.
It added that the formal appointment would take place in an official ceremony on Sunday at the president’s residence in Jerusalem.
“Now is the time to form a national emergency government. I will do everything to ensure we are worthy,” Eisenkot wrote on X in his first reaction to the announcement of his designation.
Netanyahu is fighting to hold on to office after his religious-nationalist coalition lost its majority in an election on 27 October but still emerged as the largest bloc in parliament.
Should Eisenkot succeed in forming a coalition, he would take over as prime minister from Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving premier.
Eisenkot’s wide-ranging opposition bloc won 48 of the Israeli parliament’s 120 seats in October elections, while Netanyahu’s camp secured 53, leaving neither with a majority.
During party consultations with Herzog, 66-year-old Eisenkot received the endorsements of both Arab-majority lists, who could now play kingmakers after making unprecedented gains in the vote.