The elections have cost Benjamin Netanyahu his parliamentary majority, yet there is no clear path toward forming a new government; consequently, on the 10th of November, members of the Israeli parliament took their oaths of office without a new government in place, reports Reuters.
The deputies elected on the 27th of October took their oaths of office, and former general Gadi Eisenkot—tasked by the Israeli Prime Minister with the opportunity to form a government—is now working to assemble a new coalition. Eisenkot and his allies have also failed to secure a majority, and he must still reach an agreement with parties that could entrust the leadership of the country to him.
Presiding over the swearing-in ceremony, Israeli President Isaac Herzog urged the deputies to do everything possible to avoid repeat elections. He emphasized the need for compromise—even among rivals—and encouraged them to view one another with generosity. He added that there is a great deal of work to be done, requiring the skills and experience found across all segments of the parliament.
While the new candidate for Prime Minister attempts to form a coalition, Netanyahu remains in office. The alliance led by his right-wing party, Likud—which includes far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties—performed better than predicted in the elections, yet still failed to secure a majority. It currently holds 53 of the 120 seats in parliament.
Eisenkot’s center-right party, Yashar, along with its smaller partner factions, secured fewer seats—48 in total.
However, potential allies include the Arab parties, which won 19 seats and share Eisenkot’s opposition to Netanyahu.
This means the newly elected parliament could potentially fulfill some of Eisenkot’s campaign promises—such as establishing a commission of inquiry into the Hamas attacks of the 7th of October, 2023—a move supported by the Arab parties but firmly rejected by Netanyahu. Furthermore, this could allow Eisenkot to replace the current Speaker of the Knesset, who is a member of Likud.
Herzog told parliament that it has a duty to “leave no stone unturned” in investigating and understanding the causes of the events of 2023, all while Israel continues to face threats from Iran and its allies.
Eisenkot has been given until the 6th of December to form a government, though he may request an extension until the 20th of December. The politician acknowledged that his path to leading the country is particularly complex.
Possible options include forming a minority government with the support of Arab parties, winning over ultra-Orthodox parties despite a long history of hostile relations, or forming a unity government with Netanyahu.
There are clear obstacles in all three scenarios. The ultra-Orthodox parties have stated that they will not join a government led by Eisenkot.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu has cast doubt on the election results, claiming—without evidence—that fraud occurred among Arab voters (who make up one-fifth of the country’s population). Representatives of Israel’s Central Elections Committee have stated that they are investigating potential irregularities, but so far, there is no evidence of any fraud that would have affected the outcome.
Speaking after taking his oath of office, Netanyahu called for the formation of a unity government. He warned that Iran is seeking ways to revive its nuclear program and that Israel could face international pressure to accept this. He emphasized that only a unity government would be capable of handling challenges of such magnitude.
If Eisenkot fails to form a government, Herzog will likely ask Netanyahu to do so. In the event of failure, an opportunity will be given to a third candidate, but after that, a repeat election will have to be held.