Isaac Herzog appoints Gadi Eisenkot to form Israeli government amid deadlock

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Saturday appointed former army chief Gadi Eisenkot to try to form a government after last month’s election left the country without a clear majority. Eisenkot, a retired lieutenant general who led the Israel Defense Forces from 2015 to 2019, receives a 28‑day mandate to assemble a coalition that can win a confidence vote in the Knesset.

The move follows a dead‑locked vote in which Netanyahu’s Likud bloc won 31 seats and the centrist Yesh Atid‑Blue and White alliance, led by former prime minister Yair Lapid, secured 27. Neither side could muster the 61 seats needed to command a government, and the political stalemate was amplified by the ongoing Gaza war and deep public fatigue over repeated elections. Herzog first offered the job to Netanyahu, who declined, then turned to Lapid, who also failed to build a coalition. Eisenkot’s appointment is notable because he is not a career politician; his military background and reputation for discipline are seen as assets in a fragmented parliament.

Eisenkot’s first task will be to reach out to smaller parties, including the ultra‑orthodox, Arab, and right‑wing nationalist groups, to piece together a viable bloc. Analysts say his chances hinge on whether he can convince the religious parties to join a centrist‑leaning coalition or persuade some right‑wing factions to back a government that excludes Netanyahu. Netanyahu has warned he will oppose any effort that sidelines his Likud, while opposition leaders have welcomed the president’s decision as a chance for fresh talks. If Eisenkot fails to present a coalition by the deadline, Herzog must either dissolve the Knesset and call new elections or give the mandate to another candidate, extending the political uncertainty that has gripped Israel for months.