Politics · Sri Lanka Bureau
Israeli President Taps Eisenkot Over Netanyahu to Form Government
Israel's President Isaac Herzog has instructed former military chief Gadi Eisenkot to form the country's next government, bypassing Benjamin Netanyahu. The formal mandate handover is scheduled for Sunday following Herzog's consultations with political parties.
LSN Sri Lanka ·

President Isaac Herzog informed Eisenkot of his decision on Saturday evening, marking a significant political development in Israel's coalition-building process. Herzog will formally present the government formation mandate to Eisenkot during a ceremony on Sunday, according to the president's spokesperson.
The decision to task Eisenkot with forming the next administration represents a notable shift in Israeli politics, as Herzog chose the former military leader over Netanyahu, who has been a dominant figure in the country's political landscape. The choice follows Herzog's consultations with representatives from various political parties across the ideological spectrum.
Eisenkot, who previously served as chief of staff of the Israeli Defense Forces, now faces the challenging responsibility of negotiating coalition agreements with different parliamentary factions to secure a governing majority. The success of these negotiations will determine whether a new government can be formed under his leadership.
The government formation process is a critical phase in Israeli politics, requiring the mandate holder to build consensus among parties with often competing interests and policy priorities. The coming weeks will reveal whether Eisenkot can successfully bridge these differences to establish a functioning administration.