Gadi Eisenkot given 42 days to build emergency Israeli cabinet

Sunday morning at the President's Residence in Jerusalem, Gadi Eisenkot stood before Isaac Herzog to accept the formal mandate to form Israel's next government. The centrist leader of the Yashar party now has a strict 42-day deadline to assemble a cabinet that can command a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. His immediate goal is to displace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and replace the current administration with what Eisenkot calls a national emergency government.

The path to this nomination was driven by a specific bloc of 67 incoming lawmakers who petitioned Herzog to grant Eisenkot the first attempt. This group is structurally divided, creating a central tension for the new prime minister-designate. The coalition backing Eisenkot consists of a Jewish-led bloc holding 48 seats and an Arab-led bloc holding 19. While the Arab parties have committed to supporting the cabinet or abstaining from voting against it, members of the Jewish bloc have expressed reluctance to serve in a government that relies on the Arab factions for stability.

Eisenkot framed the task as a response to a crisis, describing Israel as being in a fateful state of emergency. He pointed to active combat on multiple fronts and a decline in the country's standing among international allies. He argued that the current political trajectory risks leading the nation to a point of no return, necessitating leadership focused entirely on national welfare and security.

To bridge the gap between his supporters, Eisenkot outlined four non-negotiable principles for any coalition partner. These include a commitment to Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, adherence to the values of the Declaration of Independence, the implementation of mandatory national service for all citizens, and the recognition of Hamas as a terror group with a commitment to its destruction. He explicitly invited members of Netanyahu's Likud party and the far-right Religious Zionism party to join, while excluding the premier himself from his immediate vision.

Eisenkot rejected the possibility of returning to the polls if he fails to form a government. He stated that Israel cannot afford the time required for repeat elections, noting that the challenges facing the country are too urgent for endless political rounds. A repeat election would only occur if Eisenkot fails, Netanyahu subsequently fails to form a government with his 46 supporters, and at least 61 lawmakers cannot agree on a third candidate within a final 21-day period.

President Herzog delivered the mandate with a call for stability, urging Eisenkot to build the most stable government possible. Herzog noted that Eisenkot had secured the clear support of a majority of lawmakers, even as he acknowledged that Likud remains the largest single party with 27 seats. Herzog suggested the possibility of a unity government but recognized the personal obstacles between the two leaders.

During his address, Eisenkot pushed back against the narrative that the election results were compromised. He criticized the rhetoric describing the election as stolen, a claim popular among Netanyahu and his allies who view the Arab parties with suspicion. Eisenkot positioned unity as a supreme value rather than a political bargaining chip, challenging his potential partners to demonstrate their belief in genuine partnership by joining his government.

The prime minister-designate also addressed internal disagreements within his own camp, specifically those with Avigdor Liberman of the Yisrael Beytenu party. Eisenkot warned that anyone who tries to sabotage the government formation for personal reasons will be remembered as failing to save Israel during an emergency. Liberman is scheduled to meet with Eisenkot on Monday and has stated he no longer seeks the premiership.

Eisenkot pledged to conduct the negotiations with patience and humility. He emphasized a deep commitment to a Jewish, democratic, and secure Israel. He did not name the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, which his second-in-command Yoram Cohen has previously ruled out as a partner. The next few weeks will determine if these fragmented groups can coalesce into a working majority.