JERUSALEM: Israel’s president announced on Saturday he would task Gadi Eisenkot with forming the next government following last week’s election, in what Netanyahu’s rivals see as a first step to remove the country’s longest-serving prime minister.
The opposition bloc led by Eisenkot, a former military chief and political newcomer who has tried to appeal to secular and liberal Israelis, has opened the door to a once improbable alliance with ultra-Orthodox Jews, which could give it the numbers to form a coalition.
President Isaac Herzog said that after consultations with all parties during the week, he would grant Eisenkot the first chance to form a government after the October 27 election, in which neither side secured a majority in a country deeply polarised by Netanyahu’s hard-right rule and worn down by three years of war.
The formal appointment would take place in an official ceremony on Sunday at the president’s residence in Jerusalem, Herzog’s office said.
Eisenkot was recommended by parties representing 67 lawmakers as opposed to 46 for Netanyahu’s bloc.
But the recommendations for Eisenkot included members of Israel’s Arab minority whose seat haulsoared in the election on the back of anger against Netanyahu and right-leaning segments of the opposition oppose relying on Arab votes.
Earlier speaking on Thursday after consultations with all parties, President Isaac Herzog had acknowledged it would be logical to give the mandate to Eisenkot, who was recommended by factions representing 67 lawmakers as opposed to 46 for Netanyahu’s bloc.
Later in the day, Eisenkot vowed that he would make every effort to form a new government.
‘Now is the time to form a national emergency government. I will do everything to ensure we are worthy,’ Eisenkot wrote on X in his first reaction to the announcement of his designation.
Netanyahu’s warning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that a potential coalition between opposition parties and Arab lists would lead to the collapse of the country.
‘Such a government, dependent on Islamists, will dismantle the State of Israel from within, as is happening in European countries, and far worse than that, Netanyahu said in a pre-recorded speech.-AFP