Eisenkot gets 67 recommendations as Herzog to name government pick Sunday

Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has emerged as the frontrunner to be tasked with forming the country's next government, after winning recommendations from 67 members of parliament following last week's election.

According to France 24, President Isaac Herzog held talks with all party leaders and said he will announce on Sunday, November 8, whom he will task with trying to form a government. Of the lawmakers, 46 recommended Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while seven abstained.

Arab News reported that the Joint List, Israel's largest Arab party grouping, said on Thursday it would recommend Eisenkot to Herzog. The group won 11 seats in the election, according to the outlet.

Al Jazeera reported that Ra'am and the Democrats, both Arab-majority parties, have also backed Eisenkot. It said the endorsements came after Netanyahu attacked Arab-majority lists following their record turnout in the vote.

France 24 reported that one of the two main parties representing ultra-Orthodox Jewish voters, a longtime ally of Netanyahu's coalition, declined to recommend any candidate. The broadcaster said this left Eisenkot as the frontrunner on Thursday, November 5.

On Friday, Eisenkot said he was making "significant progress" in forming a government to oust Netanyahu, France 24 reported. It said one of his possible coalition partners had walked back demands that ultra-Orthodox Jews complete military service and signalled willingness to hold talks with that community.

France 24 said the president has begun the process of coalition negotiations. The reports do not say whether Eisenkot will be able to assemble a governing majority.