Israeli President Herzog Starts Government Consultations Amid Political Deadlock

Israeli President Isaac Herzog is set to begin consultations on Wednesday with representatives of the newly elected Knesset factions to initiate the process of forming a government, even before the official swearing-in ceremony. Herzog urged faction leaders to approach the talks with an open mind, noting that no single political bloc commands the requisite majority of 61 lawmakers.

Following the recent elections, the political landscape remains fragmented. The right-wing bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands at 53 mandates, while the center-left bloc headed by Gadi Eisenkot holds 48 seats, and Arab parties account for 19 mandates. Herzog is expected to task the candidate with the highest number of recommendations, which currently points to Eisenkot, who could secure up to 60 recommendations depending on final stances.

Likud, the largest party in the incoming Knesset with 27 mandates, will formally recommend Benjamin Netanyahu. Conversely, Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party, holding 21 seats, is backed by the BeYachad alliance, which includes Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, bringing their combined parliamentary strength significantly higher as they seek to unseat the incumbent administration.

Arab parties, including the Joint List and Ra'am, have signaled openness to supporting Eisenkot to end Netanyahu's tenure, though potential inclusion in a coalition remains contentious, particularly for Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beytenu. Meanwhile, ultra-Orthodox factions such as United Torah Judaism have yet to commit, demanding prior legislative resolutions on military draft exemptions.