Eisenkot formally received the mandate to form Israel’s next government from President Isaac Herzog on Sunday, November 8, 2026. He has been given 28 days to secure a parliamentary majority, with a possible extension of 14 days.
Speaking at a ceremony at the presidential residence, Eisenkot warned that Israel was facing an unprecedented national emergency and approaching a point of no return.
He accused Netanyahu’s prolonged rule of bringing the country into one of the most serious crises in its history, stressing the need for new leadership and a broad national emergency government.
The 66-year-old former army chief has pledged to overcome political polarisation and restore public confidence in the country's leadership. He said forming a national unity government would require creative and unconventional political steps.
As part of his coalition-building efforts, Eisenkot has reached out to members of Netanyahu’s Likud party and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s far-right Religious Zionism party, inviting them to join a new government under his leadership.
However, his path to power remains challenging, as his political alliance does not currently command the 61 seats required for a majority in Israel’s 120-member parliament, the Knesset.
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According to the Israeli president’s office, parliamentary factions representing 67 lawmakers recommended Eisenkot for the government-forming mandate, compared with 46 who backed Netanyahu. A faction representing seven lawmakers did not recommend either candidate.
Netanyahu, who has served as prime minister during several periods spanning nearly two decades, has faced mounting criticism over his government's policies, the wars involving Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, and Israel’s deteriorating international standing.