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Ulviyya Poladova

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Israeli President Isaac Herzog has decided to task Yashar Party leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming the country's next government.

According to The Times of Israel, Eisenkot will formally receive the mandate at a ceremony at the presidential residence on November 8. He will have 28 days to form a government, with the possibility of a 14-day extension if necessary.

If Eisenkot fails to form a government, the task could then be handed to incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

During consultations with parties represented in the Knesset, 67 of the 120 lawmakers backed Eisenkot's candidacy, while 46 supported Netanyahu. The United Torah Judaism party, which holds seven seats, did not endorse either candidate.

Commenting on the decision, Eisenkot wrote on social media X that the time had come to form a national emergency government.

However, securing a governing coalition is likely to prove challenging. Some members of the bloc led by Eisenkot oppose cooperation with the Arab parties Ra'am and the Joint List. Several other representatives of the bloc have also said during the election campaign that Netanyahu and the ultra-Orthodox parties should move into opposition.