Israeli president names Netanyahu rival to form government

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has selected Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief and Netanyahu rival, to attempt forming a new government following a deadlock in parliamentary elections.

Eisenkot, who has declined to partner with Arab parties, was nominated by Arab leaders with the most endorsements, despite his refusal to seek their support for a majority.

Eisenkot has 28 days to form a government, with an additional 14 days potentially added if needed. He may attempt to build a minority government, form a coalition with ultra-Orthodox parties, or create a unity government with Netanyahu.

Analysts suggest all three options are unlikely to succeed. If Eisenkot fails, another candidate will be nominated, with a deadline of around 100 days for the entire process. If no government is formed, a new election will be held.

Likud, Netanyahu's party, won the most seats with 27, but his coalition only secured 53 seats, falling short of a 61-seat majority. Eisenkot's Yashar party came in second with 21 seats, while Arab parties won 19 seats, an unprecedented number.

Eisenkot, a son of Moroccan immigrants, would be the first prime minister from Israel's Mizrahi community. He has criticized settler violence against Palestinians and opposes Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners, who have faced sanctions from Western countries.