Eisenkot faces coalition test as Israel’s new parliament is sworn in

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Gadi Eisenkot, Israel’s opposition leader, faces a difficult attempt to unseat caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as ...

Gadi Eisenkot, Israel’s opposition leader, faces a difficult attempt to unseat caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the country’s newly elected parliament is sworn in, with Arab-led parties emerging as potential kingmakers in coalition negotiations.

Eisenkot, a former army chief and leader of the centrist Yashar party, was tasked by President Isaac Herzog on Sunday with forming the next government after securing the support of 67 members of the 120-seat Knesset. Netanyahu received backing from 46 lawmakers.

Despite the initial show of support, Eisenkot’s path to power remains uncertain. His four-party bloc won 48 seats in last month’s election, against 53 for Netanyahu’s bloc, leaving neither side with the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority.

Eisenkot has 28 days to assemble a coalition, with the possibility of a two-week extension. Until a new government is formed, Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, will remain in office in a caretaker capacity.

The election, widely viewed as a referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership, has produced a fragmented parliament and increased the influence of Arab-led parties. The United Arab List and the Joint List won a combined 19 seats, their strongest showing to date, following a rise in turnout among Arab voters.

Their support could prove decisive in determining who governs, although bringing them into a coalition would create political difficulties for both major blocs.

Addressing the country after receiving the mandate, Eisenkot called for a “national emergency government”, urging parties to put aside ideological differences to end Netanyahu’s tenure.

Forming such an administration, he said, would “require creative and unconventional political steps”.

Those conditions could complicate negotiations with several potential partners.

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