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Herzog hands Eisenkot the mandate to form Israel's government, leaving Netanyahu a caretaker

10 November 2026 · Algeria Now

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has chosen Gadi Eisenkot, the former army chief who leads the Yashar party, to try to form the next government, passing over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu less than two weeks after an inconclusive election. Herzog informed both men on Saturday evening, and the formal handover was set for Sunday at the President's Residence.

A narrow and complicated path

Eisenkot was recommended by 67 members of the 120-seat Knesset, against 46 Netanyahu. The 27 October vote produced no majority: Netanyahu's right-wing and religious bloc won 53 seats, Eisenkot's alliance 48, and Arab-led parties a record 19. Eisenkot has ruled out sitting with the Arab-led lists, although they recommended him. Winning the ultra-Orthodox parties United Torah Judaism and Shas would bring him to exactly 61 seats. He has 28 days, extendable by 14, to succeed. If he fails, another candidate can be named, and if no government emerges a new election must be held within 90 days, with Netanyahu staying on as caretaker.

Netanyahu answered with a recorded video proposing a unity government and warning that one dependent on Arab parties would harm Israel. Yashar replied that it would join such a government only if Mr Netanyahu broke with what it called extremists in his bloc. Ahmad Tibi of the Joint List said he expects a minority government with outside support, and that ousting Netanyahu, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich is his priority.

What it means beyond Israel

Eisenkot led the army from 2015 to 2019 and sat as an observer in the war cabinet during the first eight months of the Gaza war. A new prime minister would not, in itself, mean a new policy. Palestinian health authorities have recorded more than 1,600 deaths in Gaza since the October 2025 truce, and the West Bank faces mounting settler violence and demolitions.

Israel's government says its operations are driven by security needs. International law frames the question differently: the International Court of Justice found in July 2024 that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory is unlawful and must end as rapidly as possible.

Algeria, whose Palestinian National Council proclaimed the State of Palestine in Algiers on 15 November 1988, supports a sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The yardstick Algeria applies is international law rather than the identity of Israel's prime minister: respect for the court's opinion, an end to settlement expansion and a lasting ceasefire.

Eisenkot has until about 6 December to assemble a majority. The first signal will be whether he accepts Arab-led parties' support in practice, and what he is prepared to say about the occupation.

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Herzog hands Eisenkot the mandate to form Israel's government, leaving Netanyahu a caretaker

A narrow and complicated path

What it means beyond Israel

More from Algeria Now

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