Israel Taps Eisenkot to Form a Government

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, whose mostly ceremonial office picks who first tries to form a government, said on Saturday 7 November that Gadi Eisenkot gets that chance. The pick of Eisenkot, a former army chief who leads the opposition party Yashar, is a setback for caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud, his conservative party.

Herzog invites Eisenkot to his Jerusalem residence on Sunday 8 November at 5 p.m. (10 a.m. Eastern Time) to make it formal. Israel is a top US ally, so who governs it matters for US policy and Gaza diplomacy.

What Happened

Factions holding 67 of the 120 seats recommended Eisenkot, Herzog’s office said. Another 46 recommended Netanyahu, and one seven-member faction named no one.

A majority needs 61 seats. Eisenkot has 28 days to build one, counted from Sunday’s formal offer, after Herzog’s round of coalition talks.

Eisenkot said on X, the social media platform, that the time had come “to form a national emergency government”. He added: “I will do everything to ensure we are worthy.”

In a video statement, Netanyahu called for a “national unity government”. He warned against a hasty swearing-in of a government backed by supporters of terrorism, a remark widely read as aimed at Arab-Israeli parties.

Why Eisenkot Still Needs Arab Parties

The 27 October election left Netanyahu’s bloc with 53 seats and Eisenkot’s bloc with 48. Arab-led parties won a record 19, so neither bloc reaches 61.

Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the secular right-wing party Yisrael Beiteinu, says he will not sit with Arab-Israeli parties. Without the Arab parties, Eisenkot would need the ultra-Orthodox religious parties from Netanyahu’s old coalition.

Israel’s Supreme Court ruled in 2024 that the army must draft ultra-Orthodox men, who had long been exempt. Eisenkot’s bloc campaigned on sending those parties to the opposition.

The Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, is probing alleged foreign funding and influence operations in the election. No result of that inquiry has been announced.

The Central Elections Committee, the body that runs the vote, published the final results on 30 October and sent them to the president on 4 November. It found no evidence of irregularities that compromised the vote.

What Prediction Markets Say

On Polymarket, a crypto-based platform, Eisenkot trades at 67.8% to be prime minister after the next election. Netanyahu stands at 18.1% and Avigdor Lieberman, who leads Yisrael Beiteinu, at 6.6%, with about US$89.8 million traded.

On Kalshi, a US prediction market regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Eisenkot is priced at 82.0% on the last trade to succeed Netanyahu. About 145,700 contracts have traded across all candidates, and both markets were read at 4:05 a.m. Eastern Time.

These prices are bets, not polls, and they measure what traders expect, not what parties have agreed. Our earlier look at Netanyahu exit odds shows how fast they move.

Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.

What Is Not Known

It is not known whether Eisenkot can reach 61 seats. It is also not known whether Arab parties would join his government or only back him from outside.

Nor is it known whether the 28 days will be extended. If he fails, Herzog can give the task to another lawmaker, who may be Netanyahu, and repeated failure sends the decision to the Knesset and then to new elections.

The new Knesset is sworn in on Tuesday 10 November. Netanyahu stays caretaker prime minister until a government forms.

What It Means for You

A new government could change how Washington and Israel handle Gaza diplomacy. It may also move US$ markets that react to Middle East risk.

The outcome depends on whether Eisenkot can assemble a coalition, which is unsettled. Expect weeks of talks, which our Israel election hub will follow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Gadi Eisenkot?

He is a former Israeli army chief who leads the opposition party Yashar. President Herzog says he gets the first chance to form the next government.

How long does Eisenkot have?

Israeli law gives him 28 days, extendable by 14. If he fails, Herzog can give the task to another lawmaker, who may be Netanyahu, and repeated failure leads to new elections.

Is Netanyahu still prime minister?

Yes, as caretaker prime minister, until a new government forms. The new Knesset is sworn in on Tuesday 10 November.

Sources: President’s Office of Israel, Knesset, Central Elections Committee, Polymarket, Kalshi.

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. How we use AI · Report an error