President Herzog taps Gadi Eisenkot to form government, pressuring Netanyahu
Big news in Israeli politics: President Isaac Herzog has picked opposition candidate Gadi Eisenkot to try forming a new government after the recent elections.
This puts real pressure on longtime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Eisenkot now has six weeks to pull together enough support in parliament, but the country is split, especially over whether Arab-led parties and religious groups should be part of the next ruling team.
Gadi Eisenkot faces coalition building hurdles
Eisenkot does have backing from most major parties, but building a majority isn't simple.
Arab-led parties made historic gains, yet bringing them into a coalition is controversial because of ongoing tensions around Gaza.
Netanyahu is pushing back hard, warning about security risks and calling for a "national unity government" instead.
For Eisenkot, finding common ground means navigating some tough compromises and alliances.