Gadi Eisenkot contacts Netanyahu’s supporters as he works to establish a government.

Gadi Eisenkot, Israel’s former military leader, began the challenging process of government formation on Sunday, contacting Benjamin Netanyahu’s supporters as he declared that the long-serving prime minister had led the nation into a significant crisis.Eisenkot, 66, the head of the Yashar party, who has committed to uniting Israel’s severe divisions under Netanyahu, officially obtained a mandate from President Isaac Herzog, who allotted him 28 days to establish a government even though his coalition does not have a definitive majority.

Eisenkot encounters major obstacles in his pursuit of the prime ministerial position. He has three choices: a power-sharing deal with Netanyahu, backing from Arab-led parties—something that several members of his coalition oppose—or an arrangement with the ultraOrthodox parties, which require military exemptions for their community.
Eisenkot and Herzog recognized Israel’s increasing isolation during Netanyahu’s leadership, as he is sought by the international criminal court.

In the US, Israel’s closest ally, Democrats won a decisive victory in the midterm elections on Tuesday, with demands to constrain Israel following the destruction in Gaza and the unpopular war with Iran, initiated by Netanyahu and Donald Trump.

Eisenkot said: “We are in the midst of a devastating diplomatic crisis. Even our closest friends and strategic allies are saying their relationship with Israel must be reassessed.”

He appealed to Netanyahu’s Likud party as well as the far-right party of the finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, to join him – but only with himself as prime minister.

“My door is open and my hand is extended, wholeheartedly and willingly, to anyone who understands the gravity of this moment,” he said.

If Eisenkot manages to establish a coalition, he would replace Netanyahu as prime minister, who is Israel’s longest-serving leader.Eisenkot’s extensive opposition coalition acquired 48 out of the 120 seats in the Israeli parliament during the October elections, whereasNetanyahu’s faction obtained 53, resulting in neither group holding a majority.
In party discussions with Herzog, Eisenkot garnered support from both Arab-majority lists, which could now act as kingmakers following their historic victories at the polls.

Eisenkot has specified several requirements for any Arab party to be part of his coalition, such as acknowledging Israel as a Jewish state and designating the Palestinian militant group Hamas as a terrorist organization. One of his allies, the more traditional Yisrael Beiteinu party, has already stated it will not join a coalition with parties led by Arabs.

Eisenkot, a past army chief, and his associates prioritized equal military service in their campaign. In particular, they aim to abolish the long-standing draft exemptions held by the ultra-Orthodox. Netanyahu has consistently asserted that the election was “stolen” by Arab factions, who mobilized their backers to cast their votes in high turnout. However, he has provided minimal to no proof to substantiate the assertions.ities.