Jerusalem: In a major political shift in Israel, former defence chief and Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot has secured 67 endorsements in the 120-member Knesset, crossing the 61-seat threshold needed to claim the mandate to form the country's next government.
Following post-election consultations with President Isaac Herzog, Eisenkot emerged ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose endorsement tally fell to 46 after traditional ally United Torah Judaism (UTJ) decided to abstain, according to The Times of Israel.
Eisenkot's 67 endorsements include 48 lawmakers from the Jewish-led opposition bloc comprising Yashar, Together, The Democrats and Yisrael Beiteinu, eight from the Arab Ra'am party and 11 from the Arab-led Joint List.
The Joint List announced its unanimous decision to recommend Eisenkot, adding to the support he had already received from opposition parties and Ra'am. Before the Joint List's endorsement, Eisenkot had secured 56 recommendations.
The Joint List said its decision was driven by a strong "public demand to prevent Netanyahu and his government from returning to power".
"Although Eisenkot has received more recommendations than Netanyahu, we believe it is important to widen the gap between them," the Joint List said.
It maintained that the move could improve the chances of replacing the government and reduce the possibility of a unity government that would allow Netanyahu to remain in power.
However, the Joint List acknowledged its policy differences with sections of the Jewish opposition bloc and clarified that it would not formally join an Eisenkot-led governing coalition, although it could extend support from outside.
The party also expressed concerns over the opposition's willingness to "confront Netanyahu's path, as well as to fight incitement against Arab citizens and attempts to undermine the legitimacy of their political decision".
A Joint List delegation is scheduled to present its recommendation to President Herzog on Thursday afternoon.
Netanyahu's endorsement tally stands at 46, down from the 53 seats secured by his right-wing bloc in the election, after UTJ's seven lawmakers withheld their support.
The ultra-Orthodox party's decision to refrain from endorsing either candidate marks a significant break in its long-standing alliance with Netanyahu.
The move followed spiritual directives issued to the two factions within the party, Degel HaTorah and Agudat Yisrael, asking them not to recommend any candidate.
UTJ leaders are reportedly dissatisfied with Netanyahu's failure to pass long-promised legislation granting military service exemptions to yeshiva students. The party representatives informed President Herzog that their support for any future government would remain conditional on securing these exemptions.
Although Eisenkot's 67 endorsements give him a clear numerical advantage, the recommendations do not automatically mean that all the supporting parties will join his governing coalition.
With consultations nearing completion, President Herzog is expected to formally task Eisenkot with the first attempt to form Israel's next government.
Meanwhile, Rabbi Moshe Maya, a senior member of Shas's ruling Council of Torah Sages, has urged Eisenkot to join Netanyahu in a rotation government involving ultra-Orthodox parties and Religious Zionism, according to The Times of Israel.
In an interview with an ultra-Orthodox Israeli newspaper, Maya described a unity government as the only solution and said it was Eisenkot's "real moment of truth".
He urged the Yashar leader to avoid the 'radical left' and agree to a rotating premiership with Netanyahu.
Maya argued that Likud and Yashar would together have 48 seats, while the ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism, along with Religious Zionism, would contribute another 19 seats, bringing the proposed coalition closer to a parliamentary majority.
The proposal comes after Shas suffered a major setback in last week's election, falling from 11 seats to six, its worst performance since 1992. The party had recommended Netanyahu for prime minister during its consultation with President Herzog, according to The Times of Israel.
Maya attributed the party's electoral losses to declining support among traditional voters amid media criticism of its opposition to the enlistment of ultra-Orthodox men in the military.
"Many people who had voted for Shas in the past bought the media's poisonous messages against yeshiva students," he said, adding that some traditional right-wing voters had instead shifted their support to Likud.
Separately, opposition parties in Israel are seeking to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana during the inaugural session of the 26th Knesset on November 10.
The opposition parties have the combined parliamentary strength to elect a successor, although disagreements over the replacement candidate remain unresolved, The Times of Israel reported.
The move follows separate letters submitted by Yisrael Beiteinu and The Democrats, demanding that the election of a new speaker be included in the agenda of the opening session.
Responding to the demands, Ohana, a Likud lawmaker, said he would schedule an early discussion on electing his successor if at least 61 lawmakers formally requested it.
Against the backdrop of coalition negotiations following the legislative elections held on October 27, Israel's newly elected 26th Knesset is scheduled to convene for its inaugural session on Tuesday, November 10.