Gadi Eisenkot Eyed for New Israeli Cabinet Formation Amid Election Results
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Israeli media reported on Thursday that predictions point to Gadi Eisenkot being tasked with forming a new cabinet. This decision is anticipated following the announcement of final election results in the upcoming days.
Israel’s Channel 13 reported that internal assessments suggest Isaac Herzog, the President of the Israeli regime, intends to assign the mandate to form a cabinet to the nominee who secures the most support from parliamentary representatives during the initial consultations. While the President holds significant decision-making authority, the number of endorsements from representatives is a key factor in selecting the individual to form the cabinet, potentially increasing Eisenkot’s chances.
Should this mandate be given to Eisenkot, he would gain greater control over the Knesset’s proceedings and its organizing committee, enabling him to advance practical steps for cabinet formation. On Wednesday, Isaac Herzog urged all possible efforts to prevent a second round of parliamentary elections, emphasizing that political parties should engage in the upcoming consultations with an open mind.
Based on the vote count, Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc secured 53 seats, while Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc obtained 48 seats. The Israeli Central Elections Committee announced that two Arab lists collectively garnered 19 seats. This tally was released after counting all votes except those contained in double envelopes. The Knesset has 120 seats, and forming a government requires at least 61 seats to achieve a parliamentary majority. As neither bloc has reached this threshold, the stance of Arab parties and smaller factions could prove decisive in the cabinet formation negotiations.
These elections mark the first for the Israeli regime since the October 7, 2023 attacks and the subsequent regional security conflicts and developments. The performance of Netanyahu’s cabinet and its handling of security and political affairs have also been central themes of the electoral competition.
