Israel's unassuming President Herzog holds keys to next government — SkimNews
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- Isaac Herzog begins consultations with party representatives on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, seeking the candidate with the best chance of forming a government rather than the camp holding the most seats.
- Isaac Herzog faces a post-election deadlock in which neither Benjamin Netanyahu’s nor Gadi Eisenkot’s camp secured a majority in the October 27 vote; the law gives the otherwise largely ceremonial president broad discretion but no formal guidelines for choosing.
- Isaac Herzog vows to resist outside interference, saying neither Trump nor anybody else can intervene and that Israel’s democracy and constitution must guide his choice.
- Isaac Herzog urges party leaders to come with an open mind, says he will do everything possible to avoid a fresh election, and has backed a Netanyahu-Eisenkot unity government.
- Isaac Herzog invited Netanyahu’s lawyers and prosecutors to his residence in April after Trump pressed him to pardon the prime minister, who could land in prison if he loses power.
- Isaac Herzog was sworn in as president in 2021 after lawmakers elected him in a landslide; as Labour leader, he ran against Netanyahu in 2015 as a subdued alternative and worked to steer the party back toward peace with Palestinians.
- Isaac Herzog called the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran a "historical juncture" in March, arguing that blocking what he described as its root cause would change the region’s direction; he also said direct negotiations with Lebanon remained ongoing.
Why it matters: Herzog’s Nov. 4 decision gives whichever candidate he selects a route to the premiership despite neither Netanyahu’s nor Eisenkot’s bloc holding a majority. Because the president has broad discretion without formal guidelines—and has floated a Netanyahu-Eisenkot unity government—Herzog is the immediate arbiter of who gets the first attempt to govern and whether another election is needed.
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