Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he will announce on Sunday whom he will task with trying to form a new government, following post-election talks with all party leaders.
“I intend to task a member of Knesset (parliament) with forming the government this coming Sunday,” Herzog said in a video message, noting that 46 parliament members recommended Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while 67 backed his opponent Gadi Eisenkot. Seven lawmakers abstained.
Israel’s largest Arab list on Thursday said it would back Eisenkot to form the next government, bolstering his chances of being picked over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who lost the support of an allied religious party.
Earlier on Thursday, Herzog held 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 — a former military chief promising to restore national unity — secured enough votes for a majority.
Herzog will choose by himself whom to ask to form a new government, but traditionally the mandate is given to the person recommended by more parties, which would be Eisenkot.
