Israeli President to Name Prime Minister-Designate After Coalition Talks End

Israeli President Isaac Herzog completed his consultation round with representatives of all elected parties on Thursday evening at the Presidential Residence in Jerusalem. The meetings, which began earlier in the day, included smaller parliamentary factions first, followed by larger blocs, with Likud represented last.

According to Israeli media, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot appears poised to receive the mandate to form the next government after securing 67 Knesset seats. The Joint List announced its support for Eisenkot for prime minister, giving him a clear lead over Benjamin Netanyahu, who holds 46 seats following the expected Likud proposal.

“The results of the consultations appear clear. However, the authority granted to me by law is to determine who has the ability to form a government, and that is by no means clear through the prism of mutual vetoes between the blocs and within the blocs themselves.”

Herzog described the discussions as open, sincere, and sharp, noting that mutual vetoes between parties create uncertainty despite seemingly clear results. He said he will hold personal contacts with party leaders to build conditions for a stable government.

Avigdor Lieberman, head of Yisrael Beytenu, withdrew his veto on the participation of ultra-Orthodox parties in a coalition. Contacts for forming a government alliance may now include United Torah Judaism following his change of position.

Herzog has until November 11, 2026, to decide which lawmaker receives the first exploratory mandate to form a government. He is expected to announce his decision on Sunday after evaluating party recommendations.