Herzog Gives Eisenkot Mandate to Form Israel's Next Government

Israeli President Isaac Herzog formally handed Gadi Eisenkot the mandate to form the next government. Herzog said he had held consultations with the parties elected to the Knesset, conducted with what he described as complete honesty and in the exercise of democracy, and had reviewed the negotiations, discussions and conflicts that arose during them.

Herzog said that at the end of negotiations on Thursday evening, a coalition of 67 Knesset members recommended that the mandate go to Eisenkot, while another coalition of 47 members recommended Netanyahu. A third bloc did not vote or recommended no party. Herzog said he had charged Eisenkot with forming the government because Eisenkot had received the overwhelming majority, or the majority, of recommendation votes in the Knesset.

Herzog said that Eisenkot's party was the biggest in the Knesset or represented the largest coalition, and that this was what he had mentioned during the consultations. He added that even if a party is not the largest or does not receive the most votes, he could still decide to give it the mandate, in light of the details he had mentioned and the experiences of his predecessors.

Herzog said the challenges facing Israel are immense and that some issues need to be dealt with immediately. He said Iran had not stopped its threats for a second, and that Israel also needs to begin shaping the political horizon in the region. He added that the 20-point agreement for the Gaza Strip must be presented in consultation with neighbors, including Lebanon and others in the region, and that this took place during a decisive war against terrorism in the region.

Herzog also named sanctions, political developments in the United States, support for the Israeli army, the need to implement laws and regulations and protect democracy, crime in Arab society, protection of the Israeli economy and market, and the need to heal together as a people. He described these as only some of the many issues the government must face, and said Israel needs a stable government that can work over the long term.

Addressing Eisenkot directly, Herzog said he hoped and expected Eisenkot to do everything needed to form a government that would serve society as a whole, including those who voted for him and those who did not. He said the government should also serve all the different factions of society, including religious and non-religious citizens.

Herzog recalled that he had known Eisenkot personally for about ten years since Eisenkot retired from the army, and described his leadership as immense and exceptional, with the ability to guide several factions and components of society. He noted Eisenkot's service in high army ranks and that he had left the battlefield with many injuries. Herzog also referred to Eisenkot's personal losses, including the death of his son and two nephews. He asked Eisenkot to keep the suffering and prayers of the people in mind during consultations and said the nation was watching. Herzog then formally handed over the mandate, saying he wished him success.

Eisenkot accepted the mandate and said he saw before him only the interests of the nation of Israel, including its citizens, soldiers and all those who had paid the highest price. He said he would do everything he could to carry out his duties and that the responsibility rested on his shoulders and those of his colleagues.

Eisenkot described the country as being in a state of urgency. He said several warfronts remain open, war goals have not yet been achieved, and Israel is experiencing deep political turmoil. He also said that difficulties with parties and partners threaten democracy and undermine it, as some continue to doubt the legitimacy of the country's institutions, which could lead to a very dangerous situation and a point of no return. In his view, the state needs to take a step back and find a new leadership it can look forward to and trust, whose priority is the best interest of Israel.

Eisenkot said the consultations at the president's residence showed that most of those representing Israelis had entrusted him with forming a government. He said 74 Knesset members do not trust the previous government or the person at its head, and that this was their final decision, which he intends to respect and implement. He said Israelis who felt neglected by their government should not be neglected again, and that he was committed to forming an emergency government, which would require several political and party steps.

Eisenkot said there was no luxury of time and that Israel could not return to endless debates and problems. He proposed that all coalitions and parties in the Knesset, as parties and as members, become partners and vote for his government. Parties ready to vote for four points, he said, could also be members of the emergency government he would form.

The four points were: recognizing Israel as a Jewish democratic country; approving what the Declaration of Independence states; committing to military and national service to strengthen the ranks of the army; and recognizing the Hamas movement as a terrorist movement, with its political and military capabilities to be completely destroyed. Eisenkot said he committed to forming a government even if it is a minority government in the Knesset, and that the aim was a government that reflects true partnership.

Eisenkot said that if Likud and other parties were partners, he could not imagine a government without them, given the four points he had just mentioned. He said his door was open to everyone and his hand was open, and that everyone who realizes the seriousness of the moment should take a step toward forming a government of unity.

Eisenkot addressed the 119 members of the Knesset and the 26 members who would soon begin work. He said the public and the nation were watching, and that anyone who obstructed the government's work for non-objective reasons would be remembered by history as someone who tried to destroy the country. He described his responsibility as very complex and serious, and the political situation as one not seen since the country's establishment. He said everyone should commit to their duties and make concessions so an agenda could be put together, and that he trusted his allies and partners to recognize the importance of the moment.

Eisenkot said that Israel is going through decisive moments and that he wanted to be head of government for all Israelis, both those who voted for him and those who did not. He said he did not accept that one party would destroy another. He argued that Israel needs a new government and a leadership focused on what brings people together, opening a new chapter for Zionism and for solidarity and cooperation.

Eisenkot described the mission as very difficult and said success was possible only through cooperation, pledging that he would do everything he could to make this possible and that the government would succeed.