Israeli President Isaac Herzog has launched consultations with political parties to determine who should receive the mandate to form the country's next government after an election failed to produce a clear parliamentary majority.
The consultations began on Wednesday, November 4, following the certification of results from the October 27 election.
Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political bloc nor the opposition alliance led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot secured the 61 seats required to control the 120-member Knesset.
According to the final results, Netanyahu's bloc holds 53 seats, while the opposition alliance has 48. Arab-led political parties secured a combined 19 seats, making their potential support an important factor in the negotiations.
Herzog is expected to meet representatives of all elected political factions before deciding which candidate is best positioned to form a government. His office has indicated that the president is open to exploring different political arrangements, including further consultations if necessary.
Unlike previous consultations, Herzog has chosen to meet smaller parliamentary factions first, beginning with the Religious Zionism-Zehut party. The larger political groups, including Netanyahu's Likud and Eisenkot's Yashar party, are scheduled to meet him later in the process.
The negotiations present significant challenges for both political camps. Netanyahu's allies retain the largest bloc, but their 53 seats fall short of a governing majority. Meanwhile, Eisenkot's opposition alliance could require support from Arab-led parties to reach the necessary parliamentary threshold.
However, cooperation with Arab political representatives remains a contentious issue among some opposition politicians, complicating efforts to assemble an alternative government.
Herzog has urged political leaders to demonstrate flexibility and compromise, warning that the country could face another election if negotiations fail. He has emphasized the need to explore every possible arrangement to establish a stable administration.
Under Israel's government formation process, the politician selected by the president will initially have 28 days to assemble a coalition, with the possibility of an additional 14-day extension.
The election has also been accompanied by disputes over allegations of irregularities involving Arab-led political groups. However, the Central Elections Committee said its review found no evidence of violations that would undermine the integrity of the overall results.
With consultations now underway, Israel faces a critical period of political negotiations that will determine the composition of its next government and the country's direction in the coming years.
