Joint List backs Eisenkot to lead Israel's next government

The Arab-led Joint List alliance announced Thursday it will recommend opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to form Israel’s next government, following last week’s election where Arab parties won a record 19 seats in the 120-seat parliament. With the Joint List’s 11 lawmakers and Ra’am’s eight seats backing Eisenkot, he is expected to secure 67 endorsements, surpassing the 61-seat majority threshold. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc holds 53 seats, but Degel HaTorah, with four seats, said it would recommend neither candidate over a dispute about military service exemptions. President Isaac Herzog has accepted the certified results and is consulting party leaders before selecting a nominee, likely Netanyahu or Eisenkot. The chosen candidate will have 28 days to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension, or Israel would face another election early next year.