Israel’s president picks Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot to form government
President Isaac Herzog has picked former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot, leader of an anti-Netanyahu alliance, to take the first shot at trying to form a government.
Key points
- Eisenkot, a former military chief, ran as the main challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, leading a bloc of parties seeking to oust Israel’s longest-serving premier.
- Neither PM Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc nor that of his rival secured a majority in last week's election.
- Knesset has been deadlocked since the election last month when Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition lost its majority Israel’s president has chosen Gadi Eisenkot, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strongest rival, to try to form a new government, after a deadlocked election that left neither man with a clear path to power.
Isaac Herzog’s office said he had informed Eisenkot, the leader of the Yashar party, on Saturday night “of his intention to task him with forming a government”.
Israel's main parties have recommended Eisenkot form a new government.
Additional details
- in Tel Aviv following the release of the first exit poll results in Israel's general election.'/> Gadi Eisenkot ran as the main rival to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but neither won enough support to command a majority.
How this summary was made: extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting. It is drawn only from the reporting of the sources listed below — read the originals for full detail. How we summarize →
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BBC WorldNovember 7, 2026, 10:19 PM UTC →
NPR NewsNovember 7, 2026, 8:18 PM UTC →
Global News WorldNovember 7, 2026, 8:15 PM UTC →
DW NewsNovember 7, 2026, 7:56 PM UTC →
The Guardian WorldNovember 7, 2026, 7:49 PM UTC →
France 24November 7, 2026, 7:38 PM UTC →
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