Jerusalem:Israeli President Isaac Herzog will initiate consultations on Wednesday to select a lawmaker to form the next government, starting with smaller parliamentary factions in a break from traditional practices.
According to Anadolu Agency – English, these consultations will continue into Thursday as opposition Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot seeks to garner a majority of lawmakers' recommendations, despite facing challenges that might hinder coalition formation.
Herzog's meetings will commence at 5 pm local time (1500GMT) on Wednesday, with factions ordered by ascending parliamentary strength to explore government formation options. This strategy aims to foster a comprehensive evaluation of possibilities and encourage new ideas before engaging with larger parties. Herzog remains open to conducting additional consultations if necessary.
Wednesday's meetings will begin with the Religious Zionism party, succeeded by Shas and Yisrael Beytenu. On Thursday, Herzog will meet with United Torah Judaism, Otzma Yehudit, the Democrats, the United Arab List (Ra'am), the Joint List, Naftali Bennett's Together party, Yashar, and finally, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud. Following these discussions, Herzog will decide whom to entrust with forming a government.
The recent parliamentary elections resulted in a split 120-member Knesset, with neither Netanyahu's bloc nor opposition factions achieving the 61 seats required for a majority. Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats, while opposition parties captured 48, and Arab parties secured 19. Despite a combined 67 seats, the opposition and Arab parties have not agreed to form a coalition.
A significant hurdle for Eisenkot is Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman's refusal to join a government that includes or relies on Arab parties. Israel's Channel 12 reported that Lieberman intends to recommend Eisenkot for the mandate. Additionally, the Democrats are leaning towards recommending Eisenkot, with the Together party expressing its support. Arab lawmakers have indicated they might also back Eisenkot, potentially giving him an edge over Netanyahu.
The Israeli president's choice does not have to be the leader of the largest faction but rather the lawmaker deemed most likely to form a government. Under Israel's Basic Law, the chosen lawmaker has 28 days to assemble a government, with a possible extension of 14 days. The proposed government must then secure the Knesset's confidence to assume office.