Israel's Eisenkot gets mandate to form government, faces coalition hurdles

Israeli President Isaac Herzog is expected to task Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming a government after he secured recommendations from 67 lawmakers, marking a pivotal shift in the country's political landscape. Eisenkot's support includes the Arab parties Ra'am and the Joint List, which provided 19 seats, though their backing does not guarantee their participation in the coalition. Opposition parties hold 48 seats, while Netanyahu's right-wing bloc has 53, with the UTJ party abstaining from recommendations. Herzog will formally issue the mandate on Sunday, giving Eisenkot 28 days to form a government, extendable by 14 days. If he fails, the process moves to alternative candidates, and the new Knesset is set to be sworn in on November 10.