Netanyahu suffers a major setback when the Israeli president entrusts Eisenkot with forming the government, but major obstacles remain.
Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog chose opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to form the country's next government, causing a significant political setback for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the inconclusive elections on October 27.
Herzogs' office announced on Saturday that Eisenkot, leader of the Ishar party, will officially receive the mandate on Sunday. Eisenkot received the recommendations of 67 legislators, including 19 from the two Palestinian parties, compared to only 46 for Netanyahu, whose long-time ultra-Orthodox ally, Torah Judaism (UTJ) refused to support him.
Despite the promise of the mandate, Eisenkot faces considerable obstacles to establishing a governing coalition. His four-party opposition bloc holds only 48 out of 120 Knesset seats, while Netanyahu's bloc controls 53. Although the Palestinian parties can provide crucial parliamentary support, Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman has rejected any government that depends on their support, instead proposing an alliance with ultra-Orthodox parties.
This alternative faces its own difficulties due to the opposition's commitment to end conscription exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, contested the election results and accused the Palestinian parties of inappropriate behavior in the elections, claims for which no public evidence was presented.
On Saturday he warned that Israel "simply will not survive" under a minority government supported by Palestinian lawmakers, calling instead for a unity government that would include his right-wing and ultra-Orthodox allies.
Eisenkot dismissed the comments as "pathetic spin" and reiterated his intention to establish a "national emergency government".
Eisenkot will initially have 28 days to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension.