Wire reporting: (AP, via CBS News), (Reuters, via France 24)

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Saturday he will give opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot the first chance to form a government after the Oct. 27 parliamentary election left neither Eisenkot's bloc nor Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a majority in the 120-seat Knesset^1,3,4.

Herzog communicated the decision to Eisenkot on Saturday evening and will formally hand him the mandate at a ceremony on Sunday, a statement from the president's spokesperson said^3,4,7. A presidential spokesperson said Herzog had invited Eisenkot to the residence, where he will be tasked with forming a government the next day⁷.

Under Israeli practice, Eisenkot then has 28 days to assemble a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension^7,8. If he fails, another candidate can try; the overall process can run about 100 days before another election⁷.

Netanyahu's religious-nationalist grouping remains the largest in parliament but fell short of 61 seats, with outlets putting the bloc at 53 and Likud itself at 27^5,7,8. Eisenkot's Yashar party is reported as the second-largest, with 21 seats, and his four-party Jewish opposition grouping at 48^7,8. Two Arab-led lists won a combined 19 seats^7,8.

Arab-led parties nominated Eisenkot in consultations with Herzog even though his bloc has declined a formal alliance with them^5,7. Middle East Eye said Ra'am and the Joint List's endorsements brought Eisenkot recommendations from 67 lawmakers against 46 for Netanyahu, and that United Torah Judaism declined to recommend Netanyahu this time⁸.

Eisenkot, a former military chief who entered politics in 2022, leads Yashar and has been described as a political newcomer appealing to secular and liberal voters^6,7. RTE News said his bloc has opened the door to a partnership with ultra-Orthodox parties that could change the coalition math⁶.

Netanyahu has called for a national unity government of Zionist parties⁸. Eisenkot's party has urged Likud and its allies to join a unity government under him, and he has spoken of an emergency or minority government built first around the Jewish opposition parties⁸. Analysts cited by Al-Monitor said a minority government with outside Arab support, an ultra-Orthodox deal, or unity with Netanyahu all look difficult⁷.

The BBC said Herzog, during consultations, told parties that not every commitment could be fulfilled if a stable government was to be formed and another election avoided¹. What coalition, if any, Eisenkot can close within the legal clock remains unknown⁷.