Israeli president urges compromise after election, praises Arab minority's role

Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned racist remarks against Israel's Arab minority and urged political leaders to compromise to form a government after the October 27 election produced no clear majority. He expressed respect for Arab society's contributions to the country. Herzog began consultations to decide whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or rival Gadi Eisenkot should first attempt to form a coalition, warning that "not every commitment and promise can be fulfilled." The election campaign saw Netanyahu accuse Arab-majority lists of irregularities, though an audit found no evidence questioning the results. The vote, Israel's first since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, increased support for Arab-majority parties. Eisenkot rejected Netanyahu's unity government proposal, while ultranationalist minister Itamar Ben Gvir refused to accept the results. Herzog has 28 days to designate a candidate for government formation.