Gadi Eisenkot tasked to form Next Israeli Government

GRAND RAPIDS, MI. - Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced that he will task former military chief, Gadi Eisenkot, with forming the next Israeli government, placing the opposition leader one step closer to ousting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The political shift follows recent parliamentary elections for the 26th Knesset.

Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party and former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, secured 67 endorsements from 120 Knesset members. The Joint List and other Arab parties backed Eisenkot, alongside his own party members, after a religious party long aligned with Benjamin Netanyahu declined to recommend the incumbent prime minister.

On November 5, 2026, a majority of Israeli lawmakers backed Eisenkot to receive the first chance to form the country's next administration. President Isaac Herzog conducted consultations with political factions and stated that he will officially nominate Eisenkot for the role on Sunday.

Eisenkot starts his formal attempt to build a new ruling coalition following the presidential mandate. Benjamin Netanyahu faces a major political setback after leading the thirty-seventh government as Israel's longest-serving prime minister.