A combination picture shows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, in Meitar, Israel, Jan. 28, 2026, and Israeli opposition leader and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, near Hod Hasharon, Israel, June 30, 2026. Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen

Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced he will formally designate a candidate to form Israel’s next government on Sunday, after Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot secured the support of 67 of the Knesset’s 120 members, giving him a clear path to receive the mandate despite lingering questions over his ability to assemble a governing coalition.

In the strongest show of support for a candidate since 2015, factions representing 67 lawmakers recommended Eisenkot for prime minister on Thursday, compared with 46 who backed current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, securing the former a majority of endorsements in the 120-member Knesset.

As part of his efforts to form a new coalition as quickly as possible, Eisenkot said he was working to establish a national emergency government, inviting any party or lawmaker willing to accept his core principles to join the initiative, either immediately or at a later stage.

“Israel is facing a genuine, tangible, and dangerous state of emergency,” Eisenkot wrote in a post on X. “The current government poses a fundamental threat to the very existence of Israeli democracy, while the country’s war fronts remain active and vulnerable to political and personal whims. Israel is already in the midst of a dangerous political tsunami.”

“It is our duty to quickly establish stable and responsible leadership, prevent another round of elections, and stop … Netanyahu from entrenching himself further in the Prime Minister’s Office. The heavy and far-reaching costs of this dangerous entrenchment are already evident, particularly in recent days,” added Eisenkot, a former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Despite Eisenkot’s support among lawmakers, Herzog said he would hold additional consultations with party leaders to assess the political landscape before formally assigning the mandate to form a government on Sunday.

The anti-Netanyahu opposition is divided between a 48-member, four-party Jewish-led bloc — Eisenkot’s Yashar, Naftali Bennett’s B’Yachad, The Democrats, and Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beytenu — and a separate 19-member bloc comprising the two Arab-led parties, the Joint List and Ra’am.

Now, despite receiving the backing of all six opposition parties, Eisenkot faces the challenge of turning their parliamentary support into a functioning coalition, as three of the four Jewish-led factions have ruled out joining a government alongside the Arab-led parties, leaving significant uncertainty over which parties could ultimately form his coalition..

In an unexpected development that could ease Eisenkot’s coalition-building efforts, Lieberman signaled his willingness to compromise with ultra-Orthodox, or Haredi, parties, backing away from his longstanding opposition to joining a government that includes them. He has adamantly supported a law extending military conscription to the country’s ultra-Orthodox, who have long been exempt from mandatory service in the armed forces and opposed to such legal measures pushed by Lieberman and others.

Lieberman on Friday rejected the prospect of new elections in the event that no would-be prime minister could form a functioning coalition. He acknowledged that unseating Netanyahu would require “painful” compromises with Haredi parties, particularly over the military conscription of ultra-Orthodox men, while insisting that “the Netanyahu era must end.”

“The election results force us all to rethink our course and recognize that there are no easy alternatives or quick-fix solutions,” Liberman wrote in a post on X.

“This is precisely why, given the political reality that has emerged, our national responsibility demands that we make difficult decisions and be prepared to accept painful compromises,” he continued.

Lieberman stressed that compromise was both “permissible and desirable,” including on legislation governing military enlistment, in an effort to bridge political divisions and advance the formation of a governing coalition.

“It’s painful for me, and I know it’s painful for many others,” he said.

Even though Lieberman has now thrown his support behind Eisenkot, he rejected the possibility of forming a minority government that would rely on Arab lawmakers to remain in power, reiterating his refusal to join such an arrangement.

“A minority government will last much less time, and when it ends, we’ll have Netanyahu back with 70 seats for another four years, and from there it’s a short road to annihilation,” he wrote.

Netanyahu remains prime minister until and unless another party leader can form a governing coalition of at least 61 lawmakers. In the event that no one can build a stable majority, Israel would hold another election, probably in the spring. Many analysts have argued that Netanyahu would likely perform better in such a scenario.

Liberman’s dramatic shift signals a willingness to break the political deadlock and unseat Netanyahu without relying on Arab parties to form a governing coalition, even if doing so requires compromising on his longstanding opposition to Haredi exemptions from military service.

Eisenkot has previously said that any lawmaker willing to accept his core principles could join his efforts to form the next government, including recognizing Israel as a Jewish, democratic, liberal, and egalitarian state; upholding the country’s Declaration of Independence; recognizing Hamas as a terrorist organization and dismantling its military and governing capabilities in Gaza; and requiring all citizens to perform military, national, or civilian service.

During post-election consultations with Herzog this week, Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas condemned terrorism and political violence, calling for Hamas to be disarmed and removed from power in Gaza, yet did not explicitly recognize the group as a terrorist organization.

“To suggest that our participation in a government would prevent it from protecting Israeli citizens is simply wrong,” said Abbas, who heads one of the main Arab parties, questioning why his party is repeatedly subjected to “loyalty tests” and suggesting that Arab politicians face a different standard from their Jewish counterparts.

For his part, Joint List chairman Yousef Jabareen said the delegation’s endorsement reflected Arab voters’ demand for political change, pointing to what he described as widespread racism, discrimination, crime, and marginalization of Arab citizens under the current government.

“We are not choosing between a good option and a better one, but between what we consider bad and what could be even worse,” Jabareen said.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu has continued pushing for a new government under his leadership, seeking to retain the premiership by appealing to parties willing to join his political camp.

“From the very beginning, we have extended our hand toward forming a broad national government. We are working to establish such a government with our existing partners and any party willing to join us that does not support terrorism. I am open to discussing this possibility,” he said.

However, all Jewish-led opposition parties have rejected the prospect of joining a unity government under Netanyahu, instead calling for a change in leadership after his years in office.

Following the new Knesset’s swearing-in on Nov. 10, lawmakers are expected to elect a new speaker to replace incumbent Likud MK Amir Ohana, who oversees parliamentary proceedings and, together with the deputy speakers, determines the legislative agenda.

Under Israel’s political system, forming a new government follows a set timetable, beginning with the current president nominating a candidate who has 28 days to secure enough support to form a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension. 

If the candidate fails, the president can appoint someone else for another 28-day attempt. If that also fails, lawmakers have 21 days to nominate a candidate backed by at least 61 members of the Knesset, who then has 14 days to form a government. 

If all attempts fail, another election must be held within approximately 90 days.