Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Sunday asked Gadi Eisenkot to form the country's next government.
Eisenkot leads the centrist Yashar party. He is a former chief of the Israel Defence Forces, the country's army.
The handover took place at the President's Residence in Jerusalem.
Eisenkot now has 28 days to build a coalition, which is a group of parties that agree to govern together.
So why does this matter? The October 27 election was widely seen as a vote on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership.
But no bloc won a clear majority.
Parliament, called the Knesset, has 120 seats. Netanyahu's bloc won 53 seats.
The anti-Netanyahu alliance, known as the Change Bloc, won 48. Arab parties won 19.
seats
Graphic: News Anek, from the facts in this report
Key points
- Herzog gave Eisenkot the task on Sunday at Jerusalem.
- Eisenkot got 67 recommendations from lawmakers, and Netanyahu got 46.
- Eisenkot has 28 days, with a possible extension of 14 days.
- He must win approval from the Knesset before he can govern.
How did Eisenkot get the task?
Herzog held talks with representatives of every party elected to the Knesset. Each party then recommended a candidate to him.
Eisenkot received 67 recommendations, while Netanyahu received 46.
These are recommendations, not seat counts.
Seven lawmakers from the United Torah Judaism party chose not to recommend anyone.
Netanyahu's Likud is the largest single party, but he did not get support from his whole bloc.
Herzog said Eisenkot had the "clear and unequivocal support" of a majority of lawmakers.
He said this on who had the better chance of forming a government that wins the Knesset's confidence.
What happens next for the new government?
Eisenkot has 28 days to form a government. He can ask for an extension of 14 more days.
His bloc does not have a majority on its own.
Support from Arab parties helped him get 67 recommendations.
But his allies are divided on whether to bring those parties into the government.
Eisenkot has invited members of Likud and Religious Zionism to back him if they accept his four main principles.
Former prime minister Ehud Barak urged him to move quickly.
Barak said replacing Netanyahu's government should be the first priority.
Why does Eisenkot call the situation an emergency?
Eisenkot described Israel as facing a "challenging and fateful state of emergency." He pointed to ongoing wars, military goals that are not yet met, and a "devastating diplomatic crisis."
He also said some of Israel's closest allies are reconsidering their ties with the country.
This is seen as a reference to strained relations with the United States.
The country remains divided after the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, and the wars that followed.
Defence Minister Israel Katz, who is serving in a caretaker role until a new government takes over, called for unity over what he called Iranian threats.
Sources
- The New Indian Express: Israel's president tasks Eisenkot with forming next government, cites 'new political reality' after US election
- Times Now: 'Israel Has No Time To Waste': Eisenkot Takes First Shot At Replacing Netanyahu
- The Express Tribune: Former Israeli premier urges Eisenkot to swiftly replace Netanyahu government
