The Joint List alliance of Arab-led parties announced on Thursday that it will recommend Gadi Eisenkot to President Isaac Herzog as the candidate to form Israel’s next government. This decision follows last week’s general election and is expected to provide Eisenkot with the support of 67 lawmakers, surpassing the 61-seat majority required to secure the mandate in the 120-seat Knesset.
Coalition building after the 2026 election
The Joint List’s 11 lawmakers joined the Ra’am party, which holds eight seats, in backing Eisenkot. According to the Central Elections Committee, the final official results were submitted to the President on November 4, 2026. While Eisenkot has secured a path to a majority, he faces the challenge of managing a coalition that includes parties he does not want to partner with. Reporting from the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh noted that Eisenkot may need to reach an agreement for Palestinian-Israeli parties to abstain if he is to form a government.
Did You Know? The Central Elections Committee reported a total of 5,716,665 votes counted in the 26th Knesset elections, with parties needing to surpass a 3.25% threshold, or 184,497 votes, to secure representation.
🔴 Arab parties back Eisenkot to form Israeli government without Netanyahu Israel's Joint List, an Arab-led opposition bloc, will support Gadi Eisenkot in forming a government to oust Benjamin Netanyahu, according to reporting. The parties plan backing without joining the… pic.twitter.com/nFPkXbxwmg
Netanyahu bloc struggles after ultra-Orthodox faction withholds support
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc, which holds 53 seats, has struggled to maintain total support. The ultra-Orthodox faction Degel HaTorah, holding four of United Torah Judaism’s seven seats, announced it would not recommend either candidate. The Times of Israel reported this split stemmed from the coalition’s failure to pass legislation exempting Haredi men from military service.
Netanyahu has repeatedly alleged that Arab parties engaged in election fraud with foreign backing. However, the Central Elections Committee certified the election results on Wednesday, stating they found no evidence of fraud. Attorney Dean Livne, speaking for the Committee, noted that a separate Shin Bet investigation into security matters is underway but emphasized that this probe will not affect the final election results.
Expert Insight: The reliance on Arab-led parties for a governing majority creates a complex political environment. While Eisenkot has the numbers to secure the presidential mandate, his ability to maintain a stable government will depend on his capacity to navigate deep ideological divides and the skepticism of potential partners who have explicitly warned against entering agreements they consider untrustworthy.
President Herzog consults leaders to select government formation candidate
President Herzog is currently conducting consultations with party leaders to determine who is best placed to assemble a government. Following the submission of recommendations, the selected candidate will have 28 days to form a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension. Should the candidate fail to secure a government, a second 21-day period allows for other lawmakers to attempt to form a majority. If all efforts are unsuccessful, Israel would face another election early next year.
📢 BREAKING: ARAB ALLIANCE BACKS EISENKOT, DEALING FRESH BLOW TO NETANYAHU 🇮🇱 The power struggle in Israel has taken a major turn. The 'Joint List'—an alliance of Arab parties—has decided to support opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot in forming a new government, with the aim of… pic.twitter.com/KeBAQzeVkC
Knesset faces dissolution if coalition talks fail completely
What happens if Gadi Eisenkot fails to form a government?
If the designated candidate fails to assemble a coalition within the allotted 28 days or a potential extension, the process allows for a 21-day period where 61 lawmakers may request the president assign the task to another member. Should these attempts also fail, the Knesset would be dissolved and a new election would be held.
Why did the ultra-Orthodox faction refuse to recommend Netanyahu?
Degel HaTorah, which holds four seats within the United Torah Judaism faction, declined to support the Prime Minister. According to The Times of Israel, this decision followed the failure of Netanyahu’s coalition to pass legislation that would have exempted Haredi men from mandatory military service.
What is the status of the election fraud allegations?
The Central Elections Committee published the final official results on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, while noting that an investigation into security information was underway. While a Shin Bet investigation into separate security matters is ongoing, the Committee stated that the probe does not affect the certified results or the allocation of seats.
How will the requirement for a stable majority influence the policy priorities of the next administration?
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