Israel's Herzog hands Eisenkot mandate to form government

Israel's President Isaac Herzog gave former military chief Gadi Eisenkot the mandate to form a government on Sunday, after an election on October 27 left neither Eisenkot nor Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a parliamentary majority.

Herzog handed the task over at a meeting at the president's residence in Jerusalem, CNA reported. Eisenkot, whose Yashar party won 21 seats, said he would work for a wide government as quickly as possible and called the process "extraordinarily complex".

"We are in a state of emergency, approaching a point of no return for the State of Israel," he said. "We must form a national emergency government. This will require creative and unconventional political steps."

Herzog, who consulted all parties, said Eisenkot had the "clear and unequivocal support" of a majority of lawmakers on who was best placed to win the Knesset's confidence. He cited a threat of attack from Iran, the need to progress towards peace in Gaza and negotiations with Lebanon.

The arithmetic is against a quick result. Netanyahu's Likud won the most seats of any single party, 27, but his religious-nationalist bloc took 53 of the 120 seats, short of the 61 needed to govern. Eisenkot's alliance of four centre-left to right-wing Jewish-led parties won 48. Two parties representing Israel's Arab minority won 19 seats, an unprecedented tally.

Eisenkot has 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension. If he fails, Netanyahu is likely to be asked to try. If Netanyahu also fails, Israelis could be sent back to the polls.

Eisenkot has set three conditions for partners: recognition of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, national service for all, and recognition of Hamas as a terrorist organisation with a commitment to destroy its military and governing capacity.

Netanyahu called for a unity government of all Zionist parties, saying it was "the will of the people and the need of the hour", and ruled out any coalition with Arab parties, whose voters make up 21 percent of Israel's population. He did not say whether he would serve under Eisenkot.

Avigdor Lieberman, whose Israel Our Home party sits outside both blocs, has ruled out a unity government with Netanyahu and a minority government backed by Arab parties. He has softened his opposition to sitting with ultra-Orthodox parties if they support a law requiring ultra-Orthodox men to serve in the military.

"Given the current reality, in order to prevent further elections and bring an end to the Netanyahu era, there is no choice but to make difficult decisions," Lieberman said.