Bennett’s faction backs Eisenkot to form government — SkimNews
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- Naftali Bennett, the former Israeli prime minister, said his B’Yachad (‘Together’) faction would recommend Gadi Eisenkot to President Isaac Herzog to form the next government, fulfilling his campaign pledge to respect voters’ decisions.
- Gadi Eisenkot, chief of the Yashar party, thanked Bennett after receiving the endorsement and declared: “Together, we will bring Israel back to the right path!”
- October 27, 2026 election results gave the opposition 67 seats to the incumbent coalition’s 53 in the 120-member Knesset, with neither main bloc securing a clear majority; the newly elected body is scheduled to be sworn in November 10.
- Arab non-Zionist parties hold 19 of the opposition bloc’s seats alongside 48 held by Zionist factions, leaving the 67-seat opposition facing a coalition-formation challenge.
- Isaac Herzog said he would receive the official results on November 4 before consulting faction representatives at the President’s Residence, urging party leaders to accept the outcome, show flexibility and avoid another election.
Why it matters: With neither side holding a majority in the 120-seat Knesset, Bennett’s recommendation adds a named supporter for Eisenkot inside the opposition camp. The opposition’s 67 seats remain split between 48 Zionist and 19 Arab non-Zionist lawmakers, the divide Herzog says requires flexibility; official results arrive November 4, and the Knesset is scheduled to be sworn in November 10.
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