Israel’s largest Arab political party has said it will back Gadi Eisenkot in forming the next government, France24 reports.
This boosts his chances of gaining the upper hand over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has lost the support of an allied religious party, the outlet adds.
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog is holding consultations with political parties after the 27 October election. As a result, neither Netanyahu (a controversial right-wing politician who led Israel through three years of war) nor Eisenkot (a former Chief of the General Staff who promises to restore national unity) secured enough votes to form a parliamentary majority.
Herzog will decide for himself whom to task with forming a new government; however, by tradition, the mandate goes to the person backed by the greater number of parties — in this case, Eisenkot.
Parties representing the Arab majority won an unprecedented 19 seats in the election, making them potential participants in forming a governing majority — if the opposition led by Eisenkot agrees to co-operate with them. For now, however, this remains uncertain.
On Thursday, both Arab parties declared their support for Eisenkot.
Benjamin Netanyahu Loses Ultra-Orthodox Support
The Joint List, which won 11 seats, said it intends to inform President Herzog of “its decision to recommend that Gadi Eisenkot be tasked with forming the government”.
The Ra’am party, which won eight seats, also backed Eisenkot’s candidacy.
Meanwhile, during a meeting with Herzog, the Yahadut HaTorah party (“United Torah Judaism”), which had backed Netanyahu after the previous five elections, declined to recommend him again for the post of prime minister, though it did not side with Eisenkot either.
According to the President’s Office, the party informed Herzog that it had decided not to recommend any Knesset member to form a parliament.
Together with the Shas party — another ultra-Orthodox political force — they insisted on preserving the exemption from military service for religious students.