The Israeli president tasked Netanyahu's biggest rival with forming a new government

Israeli President Isaac Herzog tasked Gadi Eisenkot, Benjamin Netanyahu's main rival, with forming a new government following a parliamentary stalemate after the October elections. Netanyahu, the longest-serving Israeli leader, lost his coalition majority but remains the largest parliamentary faction. Eisenkot's anti-Netanyahu bloc refused to ally with Arab parties that could secure a majority, yet Arab leaders nominated him during extensive negotiations with Herzog. The elections were the first since the Hamas attack on October 7, which triggered the Gaza war, raising questions about the future of Netanyahu's long-standing influence in Israeli politics.