Israel Backs Eisenkot to Lead: What Could Change

A majority of 67 out of 120 Israeli parliament members have recommended former military chief Gadi Eisenkot to form the next government, though his path to becoming prime minister remains uncertain. President Isaac Herzog is expected to task the 66-year-old opposition politician with forming a coalition on Sunday, giving him 28 days to succeed. Outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to use political maneuvers to block the transition, and failure would trigger alternative coalition attempts or new elections. Eisenkot, who lost his son and two nephews in Gaza, is seen as security-conservative but more pragmatic than Netanyahu. He plans to crack down on settler violence, strengthen US ties, and opposes regime change in Iran, though his stance on the Gaza war and Palestinian statehood remains unclear.