The Joint List, an alliance of Arab political factions in Israel, on Thursday announced its support for Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot as its choice for the country's next prime minister. The alliance will formally recommend him to President Isaac Herzog during consultations on government formation.
Gadi Eisenkot, leader of Yashar, is set to receive Joint List's backing. (Bloomberg)
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With the Joint List's backing, Eisenkot is expected to secure recommendations from 67 members of the Knesset, Israel's parliament, putting him ahead of incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Knesset has 120 members, meaning Eisenkot would have the support of more than half the lawmakers at this stage.
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"The Joint List announced today, Thursday, that it will inform the President of the State, Isaac Herzog, this evening of its decision to recommend that Gadi Eisenkot be tasked with forming the government," the list said in a statement.
Arab-led parties won a record 19 seats in Israel’s 120-seat parliament in last week’s general election, a result that could give them significant influence over the formation of the next government.
Once the Joint List’s 11 lawmakers formally submit their recommendation, Eisenkot is expected to have the backing of 67 lawmakers, exceeding the 61-seat majority threshold in the Knesset.
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Earlier, Ra’am, an Arab-led party with eight seats, said it would also recommend Eisenkot, Al Jazeera reported.
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Earlier, Ra’am, an Arab-led party with eight seats, said it would also recommend Eisenkot, Al Jazeera reported.
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Deep Dive
Why is the Joint List's backing of Gadi Eisenkot significant?
Its recommendation would bring Eisenkot's total to 67 Knesset members, a majority in the 120-seat parliament. That puts him ahead of Benjamin Netanyahu in party recommendations.
Does receiving 67 recommendations mean Eisenkot has already formed Israel's government?
No. The recommendations give Eisenkot a strong chance of being assigned the task, but he still needs to form a government coalition. The article notes that some of his opposition allies may resist working with Arab parties.
What happens if President Herzog asks Eisenkot to form a government?
Eisenkot would have 28 days to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension. If he fails, Herzog can assign the task to another lawmaker.
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Home/World News/Setback for Netanyahu as Israel’s Arab party agrees to back Eisenkot to form Israeli govt: Report
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