Joint List backs Gadi Eisenkot to form Israel’s next government
The Arab-led alliance said it would recommend Eisenkot to President Isaac Herzog, adding support as neither major bloc has a parliamentary majority.
The Joint List said on Thursday, 5 November, that it would recommend Gadi Eisenkot to form Israel’s next government, adding 11 lawmakers to the opposition leader’s potential backing after the 27 October election, according to Dawn, which carried AFP reporting. The recommendation does not appoint Eisenkot: President Isaac Herzog will decide whom to ask to form a government, and the opposition’s willingness to work with Arab-led parties remains unclear.
The Joint List said it would inform Herzog of its decision that evening. Al Jazeera reported that the recommendation had not yet been formally submitted when it published its report. Ra’am, another Arab-led list with eight seats, also said it would recommend Eisenkot, according to both reports. Together, the two lists won 19 seats, an unprecedented total.
How the recommendations affect the Knesset arithmetic
Neither Eisenkot nor Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secured enough votes for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Dawn reported that Netanyahu’s bloc, including United Torah Judaism, has 53 seats, while Eisenkot’s bloc has 48. Al Jazeera said the Joint List’s expected recommendation would bring potential backing for Eisenkot to 67 lawmakers if submitted. United Torah Judaism said it would recommend neither candidate; Al Jazeera reported that Degel HaTorah, which it said holds four of the party’s seven seats, would also recommend neither.
Israel’s Central Elections Committee certified the results on Wednesday after finding no evidence of fraud, and Herzog accepted them and began consultations with party leaders, Al Jazeera reported. Netanyahu and Likud alleged foreign-backed election fraud, claims the outlet said were made without evidence. Al Jazeera also reported that three political activists were arrested on suspicion of bribing voters; Ra’am denied involvement.
What happens after Herzog’s consultations
Herzog chooses which lawmaker to ask to form a government. The person he selects has 28 days to do so, with a possible 14-day extension; if the attempt fails, Herzog can task someone else, Dawn reported. The Joint List’s announcement therefore adds to the recommendations under consideration but does not settle who receives the mandate or whether that person can assemble a government.
Dawn reported that Eisenkot could risk losing support from some opposition allies, including Avigdor Liberman, if he works with the Arab-led parties. The next step is Herzog’s choice of a lawmaker to receive the mandate.
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Sources and context
- Gadi Eisenkot tipped to seek Israel government with backing of Arab listsDawn, carrying AFP reporting
- Joint List says it will back Eisenkot to form Israel’s next governmentAl Jazeera, with AFP
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.