Israel's largest Arab list backs Eisenkot to form government
The Joint List, Israel's largest Arab party grouping, said it will recommend opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to form the next government. Arab-majority lists won a record 19 seats in last week's election.
Israel's largest Arab party grouping, the Joint List, announced on Thursday, November 5, that it will recommend opposition bloc leader Gadi Eisenkot to form the next government. The decision follows last week's parliamentary election, in which Arab-majority lists together won 19 of the 120 seats in the Knesset. That is an unprecedented number and makes them potential kingmakers in coalition building.
Message to the president
In its statement, the Joint List said it would inform Israeli President Isaac Herzog of its decision that evening. It wants Eisenkot to be tasked with forming the government. Eisenkot leads the Yashar party and the opposition bloc; on election night he addressed supporters at a rally in Tel Aviv after the first exit polls were released.
Background
Herzog has already accepted the certified election results and urged compromise to form a government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for his part, has claimed "serious concerns" about foreign spending aimed at swaying the election.
In Israel, the president tasks a politician with forming a government after an election, taking party recommendations into account. The Joint List's backing could strengthen Eisenkot's bid, given the record number of seats won by Arab-majority lists.
