JERUSALEM, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced Saturday evening that he would task Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming the next government, following consultations with political parties.
Herzog has invited Eisenkot to the president's residence on Sunday at 5 p.m. local time (1500 GMT) to formally receive the mandate, according to a statement from the Office of the President.
"This is the time to establish a national emergency government. I will do anything possible to prove us worthy," Eisenkot said on the social media platform X following the announcement.
Under Israeli law, the former military chief has 28 days to assemble a governing coalition and can request a 14-day extension from the president.
If he fails, Herzog may assign the task to another candidate, or at least 61 members of the 120-seat parliament can ask the president to entrust the mandate to a candidate of their choice.
If these efforts also fail, the parliament will be dissolved, and the country will hold new elections.
In the parliamentary recommendations submitted to Herzog, Eisenkot received backing from 48 lawmakers from four opposition-bloc parties, in addition to 19 representatives of Arab-led parties.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was recommended by 46 lawmakers, while the seven members of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party declined to endorse either candidate.
Despite securing the most recommendations, analysts say Eisenkot faces a challenging path to a 61-seat majority government, with divisions within the opposition over cooperation with Arab parties and disagreements with the two ultra-Orthodox parties, which together hold 13 seats.
Earlier Saturday, Netanyahu called for a national unity government, warning against a government relying on Arab parties' support and accusing them of seeking Israel's destruction.
Netanyahu added that a national unity government should include all parties in the current governing coalition, alongside "all the Zionist parties that want to protect our country."■
