President Herzog to announce Sunday who will be nominated to form next Israeli government

Gadi Eisenkot emerged from presidential consultations with the backing of 67 lawmakers, but President Isaac Herzog said Thursday that the endorsements had yet to establish who could assemble Israel’s next government.

Herzog plans to assign the task on Sunday, following further talks with party leaders aimed at determining whether their recommendations can translate into a workable coalition.

Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar! party, received 21 more recommendations than outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose Likud-led camp secured 46. Seven members of the newly elected 26th Knesset recommended neither candidate.

Yet the apparent numerical advantage masks unresolved divisions among potential coalition partners, Herzog cautioned.

“The results of the consultations may appear clear, but the authority vested in me by law is to determine who has the ability to form a government,” he said, adding that this remained uncertain because of “mutual vetoes between the blocs and within the blocs themselves.”

The distinction leaves Eisenkot with a political test: securing recommendations from a majority of lawmakers does not necessarily mean their parties are prepared to govern together.

Herzog said his meetings with representatives of every elected faction had included difficult questions intended to challenge entrenched positions and encourage consideration of other possibilities. He will now speak directly with some party leaders to clarify their prospects of reaching an agreement.

“I intend to task a member of Knesset with forming the government this coming Sunday,” Herzog said.

He did not announce whom he would select, leaving the coming discussions to determine whether Eisenkot can turn his lead into a coalition—or whether the parties’ competing red lines will prevent an agreement.