Israeli opposition backs Eisenkot to lead national emergency government

Israeli opposition leaders agreed Tuesday to recommend Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party, to President Isaac Herzog to form the next government, pledging to replace Benjamin Netanyahu's administration with a national emergency government. The agreement came ahead of presidential consultations. The deal was reached during a meeting of opposition party leaders in Herzliya, where all participating parties agreed to back Eisenkot and begin immediate negotiations on policy guidelines and coalition agreements. The parties stated they would work to secure a clear parliamentary majority in the Knesset. The October 27 elections gave Netanyahu's bloc 53 of 120 Knesset seats, while the opposition secured 48 and Arab parties won 19, meaning opposition support from Arab lawmakers could prove decisive in reaching the 61-seat majority needed.