Gadi Eisenkot invited to try to form Israel's next government

Former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot, who leads the Yashar party, met President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem on Sunday and was invited to start negotiations to form a coalition government. The president had asked the parties that won seats at the election to endorse either Eisenkot or Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the leaders of the two largest parties in the next Knesset. Parties holding 67 of the 120 seats backed Eisenkot, including the two Arab Israeli parties. Parties holding 46 seats backed Netanyahu. United Torah Judaism, with seven seats, backed neither.

An ABC explainer lays out five possible paths. They are a minority government relying on outside support from the Arab Israeli parties, a majority Jewish government that includes the ultra-Orthodox parties, a majority Jewish-Arab government, a "unity" government with Likud, and no deal leading to new elections. Each faces obstacles. Avigdor Liberman of Yisrael Beiteinu wants a majority government without relying on Arab parties. Bringing in ultra-Orthodox parties would clash with the "change" camp's campaign promises on compulsory military service for Haredi men. Netanyahu has been pushing for a unity government, but Eisenkot has ruled it out.

Eisenkot has at least 28 days to form a coalition, and Herzog can extend that by 14 days. If he fails, Herzog can ask another candidate, and a failure there could mean another election. No government has yet been formed.