Arab party backs Eisenkot in bid to form Israel’s next government
Arab-majority party Ra’am and the Democrats have backed Gadi Eisenkot in a bid to form Israel’s next government. The endorsement comes amid Benjamin Netanyahu’s attacks on Arab-majority lists following their record turnout in last week’s election.
Arab-led parties won a record 19 seats in Israel's 120-seat parliament in last week's general election.
Gadi Eisenkot emerged on Thursday as the favourite to be tasked with trying to form an Israeli government as a religious party long aligned with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined to recommend him. United Torah Judaism, which backed Netanyahu after the previous five elections, in its meeting with Herzog declined to recommend Netanyahu again as prime minister, although it also did not side with Eisenkot.
Neither Mr Netanyahu's Likud-led bloc nor the opposition, led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, secured enough seats for a parliamentary majority in last week's election.
President Isaac Herzog was holding a second day of consultations with political parties after the October 27 election, in which neither Netanyahu — a polarising right-winger who has led Israel through three years of war — nor Eisenkot secured enough votes for a majority. United Torah Judaism, which backed Netanyahu after the previous five elections, in its meeting with Herzog declined to recommend Netanyahu again as prime minister, although it also did not side with Eisenkot.
Netanyahu's rivals say US midterm results show Israel 'cannot afford' to have the prime minister remain in office.
Polls show neither major party will have enough seats to form government, meaning the fate could fall on centrist minor party, The final polls ahead of New Zealand’s election show a knife-edge path to power, with neither the ruling right-wing coalition or opposition left bloc able to form a government without the support of a newcomer centrist party.