Israeli President Herzog tasks Gadi Eisenkot with forming new government after deadlocked election

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Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Sunday formally tasked Gadi Eisenkot with forming the next government after the October 27 election produced no clear majority for either the former military chief’s bloc or Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s.

Eisenkot’s four-party alliance holds 48 seats while Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist bloc has 53 in the 120-seat Knesset; Arab-led parties hold 19. Eisenkot has 28 days, plus a possible 14-day extension, to assemble a coalition.

He has spoken of seeking a broad government and said there is urgency for new leadership that people can trust. Pathways under discussion include a unity arrangement, support from ultra-Orthodox parties, or limited backing from Arab parties on specific issues.

Reuters and Al Jazeera confirm Herzog’s official designation and the seat counts from the election; the Times of Israel reports Eisenkot’s statements on forming a wide government. The formal tasking is the new official action following earlier recommendations.

Netanyahu remains caretaker prime minister. Failure by Eisenkot would likely return the mandate to Netanyahu or trigger another election. The process will test whether the fragmented Knesset can produce a stable majority amid deep divisions over security, religion and state, and the aftermath of the Gaza war.

Next milestones are the end of the initial 28-day period and any public statements from Likud or other parties on joining talks.