Netanyahu Ally Leaves Israel's Coalition Race Unsettled

Arab parties backed Gadi Eisenkot to form Israel’s next government on Thursday, November 05, 2026, while United Torah Judaism declined to recommend anyone. The election produced no clear governing outcome. Now party recommendations and negotiations will determine who gets the first chance to assemble a government.

The Arithmetic of Power

Eisenkot has won recommendations from a majority of Knesset parties, making it likely that President Isaac Herzog will give him the first opportunity. But “likely” doesn’t mean a government is in place. Herzog was still holding talks with all parties before making a decision, and he was scheduled to meet Eisenkot and Benjamin Netanyahu separately at his residence in Jerusalem on Thursday night.

Party meetings began Wednesday, after officials announced the election results. If Herzog chooses Eisenkot, he’ll have 28 days to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension. Should talks fail, Herzog can pass the opportunity to another politician he judges likely to form a government. The process turns an inconclusive election into another round of bargaining among party leaders, with the president deciding who gets the next turn.

United Torah Judaism’s refusal to recommend anyone is a setback for Netanyahu. The party represents ultra-Orthodox Jewish voters alongside one other major party, and has long been a Netanyahu coalition ally. Its decision doesn’t settle the contest. Instead, it leaves the coalition arithmetic unresolved as Eisenkot seeks support from parties that some members of his own bloc have rejected.

Arab Votes, Coalition Conditions

Record Arab turnout and a relatively poor showing by the Jewish opposition have left cooperation with Arab parties among the few ways Eisenkot could secure a majority. Ra’am and the Joint List both said they were willing to join a coalition, and both nominated Eisenkot on Thursday. Yet many Israeli politicians, including some in Eisenkot’s opposition bloc, have said they won’t sit with Arab parties.

Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas joined an Israeli coalition in 2021. The party is considered the most flexible Arab-majority party in Israeli politics. The Joint List is described as the more radical Arab party in the Knesset. Whatever the labels, both parties’ recommendations put their votes into the government-making calculation, even as politicians in the bloc seeking power say they may refuse to work with them.

A dispute over Hamas could complicate the negotiations. Abbas called for Hamas to be disarmed and removed from power, and said he wanted “all armed groups” to give up their weapons. He condemned terrorism but stopped short of calling Hamas a terrorist organisation, putting him at odds with a condition Eisenkot has set for parties in a prospective coalition.

A Narrow Opening

When Herzog pressed Abbas on Hamas’s status, Abbas asked him to “leave me some room to protect myself and my family, too.” The exchange showed the pressure built into coalition talks: a party’s support can be sought while its leader faces a condition that may carry political costs at home.

The immediate question is who can gather enough party backing to form a government. Negotiations carry no guarantee of success. If they don’t succeed, another politician may get the opportunity, chosen by Herzog. For now, Arab parties have put Eisenkot forward, a longtime Netanyahu ally has withheld its recommendation, and party bargaining continues to shape the government’s formation.