Eisenkot secures 67 endorsements to form government, Netanyahu falls to 46 as UTJ abstains

Gadi Eisenkot has secured 67 endorsements to form Israel's next government, surpassing the 61-seat majority threshold, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's support fell to 46 seats after United Torah Judaism abstained. Eisenkot's backing includes 48 seats from the Jewish-led opposition bloc, 8 from Ra'am, and 11 from the Joint List. Netanyahu's tally dropped from his bloc's 53-seat election result after UTJ withheld support due to frustration over unfulfilled promises on military exemptions for yeshiva students. The Joint List said it will not join Eisenkot's coalition but may support it from outside to prevent Netanyahu's return. President Herzog is expected to formally task Eisenkot with forming a government, though recommendations do not guarantee coalition membership.