Israeli President to Name Government Formateur on Sunday

Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced he will name on Sunday the parliament member tasked with forming the next government, following consultations with all party leaders after the elections. Herzog stated 46 lawmakers recommended Benjamin Netanyahu, while 67 backed rival Gadi Eisenkot, with seven abstaining. He urged parties to compromise and condemned racist rhetoric against Arabs, as neither candidate secured a clear majority. The president's largely ceremonial role now involves selecting the candidate with the best chance of breaking political deadlock in a deeply divided country, after meeting with Netanyahu, Eisenkot, and smaller parties.