Netanyahu and Eisenkot battle for final cabinet mandate

Israel's political parties are finalizing their recommendations for the next prime minister ahead of formal talks with President Isaac Herzog. Over the course of Wednesday and Thursday, delegations will meet at the presidential office to submit the names of the candidates they want tasked with assembling a new cabinet. The outcome will determine which leader receives the mandate to form the government.

Benjamin Netanyahu currently holds a slight edge in confirmed support. The Otzma Yehudit party, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, has confirmed its intention to recommend the incumbent prime minister. The Shas party, which represents the Sephardi ultra-Orthodox community, also announced it will back Netanyahu. This decision followed a statement from Netanyahu criticizing the opposition's stance on drafting ultra-Orthodox men for military service. The Religious Zionist Party, headed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, reiterated its support for Netanyahu and called for a broad Jewish government. Its delegation, which includes National Missions Minister Orit Strock, Tzvika Mor, and Itamar Eitam, will attend the consultations.

Gadi Eisenkot, the leader of the Yashar party, is positioned to be the first candidate to receive a nomination during the sessions scheduled for Wednesday. His party announced its negotiation team on Tuesday. The group includes Yoav Horowitz and Yoram Turbowitz, both former chiefs of staff at the Prime Minister's Office. It also includes Yael Wolf Barel, the party's head of policy and content; attorney Ronen Aviani, a specialist in coalition negotiations; and Ronen Manelis, who managed the Yashar campaign. This team will lead talks aimed at forming a government and establishing core policy guidelines.

The race for the remaining votes remains close. Based on declarations from confirmed parties, Eisenkot has secured 48 recommendations, while Netanyahu has received 46. The Arab parties appear to be leaning toward supporting Eisenkot, though they have not yet made an official confirmation. United Torah Judaism, the Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox party led by Yakov Asher, has also not finalized its decision. Netanyahu spoke with Asher by phone on Tuesday, marking their first direct communication since the Knesset elections on October 27. The party stated it had not received specific proposals from either major candidate and would evaluate any offers before making a final choice.