President Isaac Herzog will announce his choice to form Israel’s next government by Sunday following crucial parliamentary consultations.
The decision comes after a majority of lawmakers backed opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot over incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
During marathon talks with elected parties in the 120-seat Knesset, 67 lawmakers endorsed Eisenkot.
In contrast, only 46 lawmakers backed Netanyahu during the official recommendation process.
Herzog acknowledged the clear numerical support but highlighted complex mutual vetoes between and within political blocs.
He plans to hold private meetings with party leaders over the weekend before making his final designation.
The October 27 election produced a deeply fractured parliament, leaving no single leader with an automatic majority.
Netanyahu’s Likud party secured 27 seats, leading a wider religious-nationalist coalition that totals 53 seats.
Eisenkot’s four-party alliance captured 48 seats across a diverse ideological spectrum.
Two parties representing Israel’s Palestinian minority won an unprecedented 19 seats in the election.
Both Arab-led parties recommended Eisenkot despite his pledge not to include them in any future governing coalition.
Joint List senior member Ahmad Tibi stated that their endorsement aimed to remove Netanyahu’s government from power.
Eisenkot’s party, Yashar, urged the president to grant him the mandate immediately to build a national emergency government.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu suffered a major setback when long-time ally United Torah Judaism refused to recommend any candidate.
The ultra-Orthodox party broke ranks over failed legislation regarding military service exemptions for religious men.
Political commentators suggest United Torah Judaism might consider supporting Eisenkot under negotiated policy agreements.
The designated candidate will receive 28 days to negotiate a governing coalition, with a possible two-week extension.
Netanyahu remains caretaker prime minister until a new coalition succeeds or fresh elections take place.
Faced with potential defeat, Netanyahu challenged the election results by raising allegations of vote tampering against Arab-led parties.
Critics accuse the prime minister of undermining democratic institutions to preserve his political power.
Israel’s Central Election Committee confirmed that the election process maintained complete structural integrity.
Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg urged elected officials to uphold public trust and respect the peaceful transfer of power.
Sohlberg praised the high voter turnout across all demographics as a vital strength for Israeli democracy.
Far-right ministers aligned with Netanyahu responded by demanding immediate police investigations into leaders of the Arab parties.
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