Israel’s president picks Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot to form government

Knesset has been deadlocked since the election last month when Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition lost its majority

Israel’s president picks Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot to form government

TL;DR

  • President Isaac Herzog has tasked Gadi Eisenkot with forming Israel's next government.
  • Eisenkot is the leader of the Yashar party and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strongest rival.
  • Neither Netanyahu nor Eisenkot's bloc secured a majority in the recent deadlocked election.
  • Eisenkot has stated his intention to form a national emergency government.
  • He aims to unite Israelis and has vowed to crack down on extremist West Bank settlers.
  • Eisenkot opposes the creation of a Palestinian state and seeks to end Hamas's rule in Gaza.