Eisenkot Leads Netanyahu in Race to Form Israeli Government

Gadi Eisenkot has secured a significant advantage in forming Israel's next government, receiving recommendations from 67 Knesset members compared to 46 for Benjamin Netanyahu following President Isaac Herzog's consultations with parliamentary factions. Herzog is expected to assign the mandate on Sunday, though he retains discretion to choose the candidate he believes has the best chance of forming a coalition. Eisenkot's support comes from his Yashar party, the Democrats, Yisrael Beiteinu, Together, and Arab parties, with the Joint List offering external backing without joining the coalition. Netanyahu's support comes from Likud, Shas, Religious Zionism, Zehut, and Otzma Yehudit, while the United Torah Judaism party declined to endorse any candidate. Opposition parties have ruled out a unity government with Netanyahu, and negotiations hinge on potential cooperation with ultra-Orthodox parties over sensitive issues like military conscription exemptions.