President Isaac Herzog plans to assign a lawmaker the mandate to form Israel's next government Sunday after Yashar! party leader Gadi Eisenkot said coalition talks with opposition parties had advanced.
In a Nov. 6 post on X, Eisenkot said his team had held dozens of hours of negotiations. He said he hoped to receive the mandate early next week and form an emergency government to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Eisenkot's proposed coalition would recognize Israel as a Jewish and democratic state and uphold the principles of its Declaration of Independence. Its commitments would include military, national or civilian service for all, recognizing Hamas as a terrorist organization, and dismantling the group's military and governing capabilities.
Herzog said Thursday that factions representing 67 members of the 120-member Knesset had recommended Eisenkot to form a government. Factions representing 46 members recommended Netanyahu. Herzog said the recommendations did not determine who could form a government, citing vetoes within and between political blocs.
The Yisrael Beitenu faction, led by Avigdor Lieberman, also recommended Eisenkot on Nov. 4, according to the President's Office. The move followed Lieberman's announcement that his party would recommend Eisenkot. Herzog is due to assign the mandate Sunday.
