Jerusalem (AFP) – The Israeli president begins his consultations with political parties on Wednesday before appointing the person responsible for forming a government, Benjamin Netanyahu like his rival Gadi Eisenkot having neither obtained the necessary majority.

Published on: 04/11/2026 - 05:19

President Herzog, who is due to receive the official results of the legislative elections on October 27 at midday, will then receive from 5:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m. GMT) the parties represented in Parliament - in order of importance, from the smallest to the largest.

He, who usually has a largely honorary role, finds himself in this context at the heart of the political game.

Because with 53 seats - out of 120 - for the camp of Benjamin Netanyahu, who holds the record for longevity at the head of the Israeli executive, and 48 for that of "change", each bloc has no other choice than to expand its base and negotiate.

The president, who wants to avoid new elections at all costs, plans to end his consultations on Thursday evening, but does not rule out extending them.

“National Emergency Government”

He has until November 11 to make his choice. And perhaps convince the candidates to opt for a government of national unity bringing together the two blocs, an option which is his preference and that of a majority of Israelis, according to opinion polls.

Tuesday morning, the five leaders of the “change bloc” led by the centrist Gadi Eisenkot met to coordinate their strategy.

They reiterated their "total commitment to respecting the decision of the Israeli voters, who voted clearly and resolutely for change", displaying their desire for a "national emergency government" to replace that of Benjamin Netanyahu.

But the opposition camp, which brings together a wide range of parties from the left to the nationalist right, is divided on several issues, in particular on a possible alliance with Israeli Arab parties.

With their unprecedented number of 19 seats obtained and the support that these Arab parties say they are ready to give to Mr. Eisenkot, the opposition could obtain an absolute majority of the 61 seats in Parliament.

But in a society traumatized by the October 7 attack, reaching out to the Palestinians of Israel, as the Israeli Arabs representing around 20% of the population are also known, is likely to alienate part of the Jewish electorate.

Benjamin Netanyahu knows this well and has denigrated Arab groups to the end, "supporting terrorists", threatening to "Islamize Israel" and reduce the Jewish state to nothing, according to the messages with which he floods social networks.

The opposition camp has also mentioned the idea of ​​a "Zionist government", which seems to exclude Israeli Arab groups from direct participation. But neither does it exclude the recurring hypothesis of a minority government coalition of Jewish parties, supported by Arab elected officials in the Knesset.

“Accept political reality”

In an interview with AFP on Monday, Youssef Jabareen, leader of the Joint List, a predominantly Arab group which won 11 seats, said he was ready to support an anti-Netanyahu government without entering it, calling on the opposition to "accept the political reality" resulting from the polls.

The opposition bloc's statement also seems to leave room for maneuver for a possible partnership with ultra-Orthodox Jewish groups, currently allied with Mr. Netanyahu, on the condition that they accept the principle of military service or at least civil service for all.

These parties are opposed to conscription for their voters, a sensitive subject while the army is deployed on several fronts.

Monday evening, Benjamin Netanyahu posted a long message on his social networks to say he was "open to dialogue" and to call for the formation, but only under his leadership, of a broad government coalition.

He unsurprisingly ruled out the participation of Arab parties, whom he continues to accuse of fraud, even if the investigation demanded by his camp has so far yielded nothing, and the electoral commission has assured that the results will not be called into question.

Gadi Eisenkot on Tuesday evening accused Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud of "pogrom against democracy", after Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara expressed doubts about the impartiality of the investigation launched by the intelligence services into suspicions of electoral fraud concerning Arab parties.

© 2026 AFP

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