Eisenkot gets mandate to form Israel govt, Netanyahu suffers major setback
Synopsis
Israel's political order may be on the verge of its most significant shift in years. With 67 Knesset recommendations to Netanyahu's 46, Gadi Eisenkot — a former IDF chief who broke with Netanyahu over Gaza — now has 28 days to do what no Israeli opposition leader has managed: stitch together a majority without Netanyahu at the helm.
Key Takeaways
Israeli President Isaac Herzog gave Gadi Eisenkot the mandate to form the next government on 7 November 2026 .
Eisenkot secured 67 Knesset recommendations ; Netanyahu received only 46 ; 7 UTJ lawmakers backed neither.
Eisenkot has 28 days to form a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension .
His Yashar party won 21 seats ; the wider Change Bloc holds 48 seats in the 120-member Knesset .
Arab-led parties (Ra'am and Joint List) backed Eisenkot but prefer external rather than coalition support — a key complication.
If Eisenkot fails, another candidate could receive the mandate, potentially reopening the door for Netanyahu .
Israeli President Isaac Herzog on 7 November 2026 tasked opposition leader and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot with forming Israel's next government, delivering a significant setback to incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the 27 October general election. The formal handover of the mandate is scheduled for 8 November at 5 pm local time at the President's Residence in Jerusalem.
How the Numbers Broke
Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, secured the backing of 67 lawmakers during parliamentary consultations — well ahead of the 46 who recommended Netanyahu. Seven lawmakers, all from the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism (UTJ), declined to endorse either candidate.
The 67 recommendations came from 48 lawmakers in the Change Bloc, 12 from the Joint List, and 7 from the Arab party Ra'am. Netanyahu's 46 recommendations came from his right-wing and religious allies. Israel's 120-member Knesset requires 61 seats for a parliamentary majority.
Who Is Gadi Eisenkot
Eisenkot is a former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) who entered politics in 2022. His Yashar party won 21 seats in the 27 October election, while the broader Change Bloc secured 48 seats. He briefly served in Netanyahu's wartime cabinet following the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023, before returning to the opposition and publicly criticising the government's conduct of the Gaza war. He has categorically ruled out serving in any administration led by Netanyahu.
Eisenkot emerged as Netanyahu's principal challenger by assembling a coalition of political groups spanning the centre-left to the right, united primarily by their opposition to the long-serving prime minister. The mandate gives him the first realistic opportunity to unseat Netanyahu, widely recognised as Israel's longest-serving prime minister.
The Coalition Arithmetic Challenge
Despite the strong recommendation tally, the 67 endorsements do not automatically translate into a governing majority. The Arab-led factions — Ra'am and the Joint List — have indicated a preference to support an alternative government from outside the coalition rather than joining it directly. Their external backing remains politically contentious, with several parties in Eisenkot's camp reportedly reluctant to depend on Arab lawmakers for a working majority.
Eisenkot has several possible paths: a minority government with external Arab support, negotiations with ultra-Orthodox parties, or a broader national unity arrangement. Each carries its own risks. Disagreements over military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men could complicate any outreach to religious parties, while the Gaza war, national security policy, and military conscription remain unresolved fault lines across the prospective coalition.
Netanyahu's Response and What Comes Next
Netanyahu has not conceded defeat and continues to advocate for a national unity government. He has strongly opposed any arrangement dependent on Arab-led parties, describing them as supporters of terrorism — remarks that Eisenkot's Yashar party has publicly condemned. The Yashar party has also urged Likud members to reconsider their alliances with far-right partners.
Under Israeli law, Eisenkot has 28 days to form a coalition, with a potential 14-day extension available if required. If the attempt fails, Herzog could grant the mandate to another candidate — potentially giving Netanyahu a second opportunity. Continued failure to form a government could eventually trigger fresh elections. The political landscape remains fluid, and the outcome of coalition negotiations in the coming weeks will determine whether Israel's prolonged period of political uncertainty is finally resolved.
Point of View
But Israeli coalition arithmetic has a habit of humbling front-runners. The real test for Eisenkot is not the numbers on nomination day but whether a coalition spanning secular centrists, Arab-linked external supporters, and potentially ultra-Orthodox parties can agree on Gaza policy, military conscription, and judicial reform — the three issues that have paralysed Israeli politics for years. Netanyahu's refusal to concede is rational strategy: if Eisenkot stumbles, the mandate could revert, and Israel's longest-serving prime minister knows that well. What is new, and significant, is that a credible post-Netanyahu coalition has come closer to formal existence than at any point since his return to office in 2022.
NationPress
8 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did President Herzog give Gadi Eisenkot the mandate instead of Netanyahu?
Herzog's decision followed consultations with all Knesset factions, in which Eisenkot received 67 recommendations compared with Netanyahu's 46. Under Israeli constitutional practice, the president assigns the mandate to the candidate most likely to command a majority in the 120-member Knesset, where 61 seats are required.
Who is Gadi Eisenkot?
Gadi Eisenkot is a former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) who entered politics in 2022 and leads the Yashar party, which won 21 seats in the 27 October election. He briefly served in Netanyahu's wartime cabinet after the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023 before resigning and becoming the opposition's leading challenger.
How long does Eisenkot have to form a government?
Eisenkot has 28 days from receiving the formal mandate on 8 November to form a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension if needed. If he fails, President Herzog can assign the mandate to another candidate, which could give Netanyahu a second chance or eventually lead to fresh elections.
What are the main obstacles to Eisenkot forming a coalition?
The principal challenges include the reluctance of some parties to depend on Arab-led factions for a working majority, deep disagreements over military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men, differing positions on the Gaza war and national security, and disputes over Netanyahu's contested leadership style. Each of Eisenkot's potential coalition paths carries its own significant political risks.
Has Netanyahu conceded defeat?
No. Netanyahu has not conceded and continues to push for a national unity government. He has also strongly opposed any arrangement reliant on Arab-led parties, describing them as terrorism supporters — remarks his rivals have publicly condemned. His path back to power remains open if Eisenkot fails to assemble a majority within the allotted timeframe.
