Israeli President Isaac Herzog tasked Gadi Eisenkot, the former armed-forces chief who leads the centrist Yashar party, with forming the next government after last month's inconclusive election^1,2,3,4.

Eisenkot, 66, is a political newcomer who has pledged to ease polarization after years of Benjamin Netanyahu in office^2,3. Al-Monitor said he was born to a family of working-class Moroccan immigrants and would be Israel's first Sephardic prime minister if he succeeds².

Herzog's office said that after consulting incoming Knesset factions, Eisenkot received 67 recommendations for the premiership and Netanyahu 46^1,2. The president does not have to pick the leader of the largest party¹.

Netanyahu's Likud and its allies won 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, while Eisenkot's bloc won 48, BBC reported¹. Two Arab-led lists together won 19 seats, leaving them as potential kingmakers even as most Jewish parties had pledged not to govern with them^1,4.

Eisenkot has 28 days to assemble a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension^1,3. RTE said he formally received the signed mandate on Sunday³.

At the ceremony he called for a national emergency government and said his door was open to anyone who understood the moment, including Likud and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's party, but with himself as prime minister^3,4. Al Jazeera described that as openness to including Netanyahu⁴.

Al Jazeera said Eisenkot has ruled out a coalition with Arab-led parties and that winning the two ultra-Orthodox parties would give him 61 seats⁴. Al-Monitor reported that Avigdor Liberman opposes an Arab-party alliance and has voiced openness to ultra-Orthodox partners to unseat Netanyahu².

Whether he can hold a majority, and on what terms with Likud, remains unknown^1,2,4. If he fails, Herzog can give another lawmaker a chance; Netanyahu remains caretaker in the meantime^1,4.