Israel President Set To Pick PM

Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced on Thursday that he will name a candidate to form the new government by Sunday. This deadline follows exhaustive talks with all parties elected to the 120-seat parliament. Herzog stated that while the initial consultation results pointed in one direction, complex internal vetoes complicate the final decision. He plans to meet with specific party leaders during the Friday and Saturday weekend before making his choice.

The October 27 election produced a deeply fragmented legislature. Neither the incumbent leader nor the main opposition candidate holds an immediate path to a stable majority. Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party captured the largest single bloc with 27 seats. His wider religious-nationalist coalition totals 53 seats. In contrast, opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot’s alliance of four parties won 48 seats. This result defied earlier polling predictions that suggested a tighter race between the two camps.

A key variable in the math involves the 19 seats won by two parties representing Israel’s Palestinian minority. Both Arab-led parties recommended Eisenkot, even though he and Netanyahu have previously ruled out including them in a cabinet. This support gives Eisenkot the endorsement of 67 lawmakers. Netanyahu holds recommendations from 46 lawmakers. Ahmad Tibi, a senior member of the Joint List, told The Associated Press that the group seeks to remove the current administration, which it describes as criminal.

Eisenkot’s party, Yashar, noted that the 67 recommendations represent the highest number for any candidate since 2015. The party urged the president to grant the mandate quickly to form a national emergency government. Yariv Oppenheimer, a member of the Democrats party within the alliance, told Al Jazeera that there is no reason for Herzog not to choose Eisenkot. He added that United Torah Judaism had signaled its support was available for the right price, potentially providing the numbers needed.

Netanyahu faced a setback on Thursday when United Torah Judaism declined to recommend any candidate. The Times of Israel reported that the ultra-Orthodox party broke with Netanyahu over his coalition’s failure to pass legislation exempting ultra-Orthodox men from military service. Oppenheimer stated that it is very clear Netanyahu does not have a chance to establish a government at all.

Once nominated, the chosen candidate has 28 days to forge a government, with the possibility of a 14-day extension. Netanyahu remains in power as a caretaker until a new coalition forms or another election is called. He has raised doubts about the results by citing an investigation into possible vote tampering, accusing Arab-led parties of stealing the vote. Critics argue this is an attempt to undermine the outcome, a claim Netanyahu denies.

Israel’s Central Election Committee stated on Wednesday that the integrity of the election had not been compromised. Committee head Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg urged elected officials to protect public trust rather than shake it. He described the peaceful transfer of power as a foundation of democracy and called the high voter turnout a blessing. Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s far-right allies, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, have called for the immediate arrest and interrogation of Arab party leaders.