Israeli President Begins Talks With Parties on Forming a Government
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has started consultations with parties elected to parliament, since no bloc won a majority in the 27 October election. He urged parties to be ready to compromise to avoid a repeat vote.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced on the evening of 4 November that he had begun consultations with the parties that won seats in the Knesset, Israel's parliament. The talks are meant to decide who will be tasked with forming a new government after the 27 October election, in which no political bloc secured a decisive victory, according to the BBC.
Election result
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party, together with its far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies, won 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. His rival Gadi Eisenkot's centrist party and three other opposition parties won 48 seats. Two Arab parties together took 19 seats, an unprecedented result for them. This means Arab parties could potentially decide who governs for the next four years, although almost all Jewish parties had ruled out cooperating with them before the vote.
The president's statement
Herzog told party representatives that, to avoid repeat elections and form a stable government, they must accept that not every promise can be fulfilled in the current reality. He also expressed confidence that the security service can investigate possible foreign interference, called for patience, and condemned racist remarks directed at Arab Israelis, who make up about a fifth of the population.
The Israeli presidency is largely ceremonial, but after an election the president selects who will form the government. That person does not have to lead the party with the most seats. The designated person has 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension.
Dispute over allegations
Election monitors have said there is no evidence of violations. Claims from Netanyahu's side that Arab parties "stole" the election do not justify delaying acceptance of the result. The Israel Security Agency is investigating possible foreign interference, but the head of the Central Elections Committee said it would not change the outcome.
At the end of October, Israeli media reported information about possible Qatari funding to boost Arab voter turnout; Qatar's Foreign Ministry categorically denied it. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for the arrest of Arab party leaders. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara refused a request from security service chief David Zini to question four Arab politicians, citing insufficient evidence.
