Israel government formation LIVE: Bennett-led B’Yachad, Arab parties back Eisenkot in PM race in setback for Netanyahu
Israel government formation LIVE: On the second day of consultations with Herzog on Friday (November 6), Representatives of the B'Yachad (Together) party, led by former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, endorsed Gadi Eisenkot to form the government.
Israel government formation LIVE: Representatives of the B’Yachad (Together) party, led by former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, on Friday endorsed Gadi Eisenkot, a key rival of incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to form the next government. The endorsement comes as Israeli President Isaac Herzog prepares to decide whom to task with forming the government on November 8....Read More
Incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bid to retain power remains uncertain, as he lacks the majority needed to form a government. His Opposition, Gadi Eisenkot, could emerge as the next Prime Minister as other parties have offered support, helping him reach the 61-seat majority required in the Knesset.
During consultations with political parties on Thursday, 67 members of the 120-seat Knesset backed Eisenkot, while 46 recommended Netanyahu. Seven lawmakers did not support either candidate, according to AFP.
However, Eisenkot still faces challenges in putting together a coalition that can command a majority in parliament. The backing of Arab-led parties has strengthened his position, but disagreements within the opposition could affect government formation.
“The results of the consultations may appear clear, but the authority vested in me by law is to determine who has the ability to form a government, and that is not entirely clear, given the mutual vetoes between the blocs and within the blocs themselves,” Herzog said on Thursday.
Under Israeli law, the candidate appointed by Herzog will have 28 days to form a government, with a possible extension of 14 days. If the attempt fails, the president can give another lawmaker the opportunity.
Netanyahu will remain prime minister until a new government is formed.
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- 6 Nov 2026, 12:19:09 PM IST
Israel government formation LIVE: When does a new government take office?
Israel Government Formation LIVE: A government takes office only after it wins a vote in the Knesset. Parties can abstain in that vote, and this is how a minority government, one without 61 seats of its own, can be seated.
A minority government then has to depend on support or cooperation from parties outside it to pass legislation.
- 6 Nov 2026, 12:07:12 PM IST
Israel government formation LIVE: Shin Bet intelligence claims ‘foreign intervention’
Israel Government Formation LIVE: A separate probe by Israel’s Shin Bet intelligence agency, headed by David Zini, a Netanyahu appointee, into allegations of foreign interference in the election is still underway.
During a closed-door meeting of the elections committee on Wednesday, its head, Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, read out an intelligence assessment by the Shin Bet.
The agency said it believed there was a “widespread phenomenon” involving the flow of substantial funds into Israel from foreign countries, including those considered hostile to the country.
However, the Shin Bet did not provide any evidence to support its assessment.
(With inputs from AP)
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- 6 Nov 2026, 11:57:04 AM IST
Israel election results: Where do parties stand after results
Israel elections results: Netanyahu saw his parliamentary bloc of allies drop to 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, down from a peak of 68 in the outgoing parliament.
A bloc of parties led by his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, won 48 seats, while Arab-led parties, including Ra’am, won the remaining 19 seats.
- 6 Nov 2026, 11:56:12 AM IST
Israel government formation LIVE: How long can coalition talks take?
Israel Government Formation LIVE: The nominee has 28 days to put together a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension, according to AFP, giving a maximum of 42 days. Smaller parties often hold outsized power in these talks, since their seats can supply the margin a larger party needs. The leaders of bigger parties typically win them over with cabinet posts, budgets or specific policies.
After past elections, coalition negotiations have run to weeks or months, Reuters noted. If the nominee fails, others can be given a chance to form a government.
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- 6 Nov 2026, 11:52:02 AM IST
Israel government formation LIVE: Who gets the first chance to form a government?
Israel Government Formation LIVE: Once the results are in, President Isaac Herzog, whose post is largely ceremonial, consults party leaders on whom they want as prime minister. He then asks the candidate he believes has the best chance of forming a government to try. That is usually the leader of the largest party, AP reported, though AFP noted that it need not be.
Exit polls suggest Likud, Netanyahu's party, will be the largest, with Eisenkot's Yashar second, according to Bloomberg. Both leaders have staked a claim to lead, but neither has claimed victory, Reuters reported.
- 6 Nov 2026, 11:40:03 AM IST
Israel Government Formation LIVE: Eisenkot faces coalition talks as Netanyahu remains caretaker PM
Israel Government Formation LIVE: Eisenkot's Yashar party called for a new national emergency government, saying voters had expressed a desire for political change. The party made the statement on Thursday, according to AFP.
However, the opposition will need to resolve its differences before it can put together a working coalition.
Under Israeli law, the candidate appointed by Herzog will have 28 days to form a government, with a possible extension of 14 days. If the attempt fails, the president can give another lawmaker the opportunity.
Netanyahu will remain prime minister until a new government is formed. Herzog has also urged political leaders to avoid another election and reach an agreement on the country's next administration.
The president is expected to announce his decision on Sunday, November 8.
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- 6 Nov 2026, 11:26:53 AM IST
Israel government formation LIVE | Understanding Israel elections: How do votes become seats?
Israel Government Formation LIVE: Israelis vote for parties, not candidates. Knesset seats are shared out by proportional representation among national party lists, so a party's share of seats follows its share of the national vote.
A party needs at least 3.25% of the national vote to win any seats. About a dozen parties were thought to have a chance of clearing that bar, according to Reuters, which is why the final tally and the allocation of seats take time. AFP reported that some smaller right-wing parties fell short of it.
Partial counts released through Wednesday show each party's share of the vote, but they do not show how many seats it will win. Seat totals depend on the full national tally.
- 6 Nov 2026, 11:15:06 AM IST
Israel government formation LIVE: Arab parties support Eisenkot despite coalition differences
Israel Government Formation LIVE: Although Eisenkot received more recommendations, he still faces challenges in putting together a coalition that can command a majority in parliament.
The Joint List, which holds 11 seats, and the eight-member Ra'am party both recommended Eisenkot during their meetings with Herzog. Both parties announced their support on Thursday, AFP reported.
Their support brought his total recommendations to 67, above the 61 needed for a majority in the Knesset.
However, the recommendations do not guarantee that all 19 Arab lawmakers will join an Eisenkot-led government. The opposition remains divided over whether to include Arab parties in a future coalition.
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- 6 Nov 2026, 11:11:28 AM IST
Israel government formation LIVE: Netanyahu bid to becoPM uncertain; Eisenkot likely to be premier
Israel Government Formation LIVE: Incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bid to retain power remains uncertain, as he lacks the majority needed to form a government.
His Opposition, Gadi Eisenkot, could emerge as the next Prime Minister as other parties have offered support, helping him reach the 61-seat majority required in the Knesset.
- 6 Nov 2026, 10:41:55 AM IST
Israel government formation LIVE: Bennett-led B’Yachad backs Eisenkot in PM race; Netanyahu faces test
VIDEO | Israel: Representatives of the B'Yachad (Together) party, led by former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, endorse Gadi Eisenkot to form a government on the second day of consultations with President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem. (Source: GPO Israel) (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/bIyFWTeOLF)
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 6, 2026Israel Government Formation LIVE: Representatives of the B’Yachad (Together) party, led by former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, on Friday endorsed Gadi Eisenkot, a key rival of incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to form the next government.
The endorsement comes as Israeli President Isaac Herzog prepares to decide whom to task with forming the government on November 8.
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