Jerusalem, Nov 2026 : Israel’s largest Arab political grouping, the Joint List, has announced that it will recommend opposition bloc leader Gadi Eisenkot to form the next government, potentially strengthening his position in the race to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following last week’s parliamentary election.
The Joint List said on Thursday that it would formally communicate its decision to President Isaac Herzog during consultations with political parties.
“The Joint List announced today, Thursday, that it will inform the President of the State, Isaac Herzog, this evening of its decision to recommend that Gadi Eisenkot be tasked with forming the government,” the grouping said in a statement.
Arab-majority political lists secured an unprecedented 19 seats in the 120-member Knesset in the October 27 election, making their support potentially decisive in determining the composition of Israel’s next government.
The development came as Herzog continued his second day of consultations with political parties to assess their preferences for the formation of a new government. Neither Netanyahu, a polarising right-wing leader who has steered Israel through three years of war, nor Eisenkot managed to secure enough parliamentary support for an outright majority.
In another significant development, United Torah Judaism, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish party that has traditionally supported Netanyahu, declined to recommend him for another term as prime minister. However, the party also stopped short of backing Eisenkot.
The President’s Office said United Torah Judaism had informed Herzog that it had decided “not to recommend any member of Knesset to form a government”. The party has secured seven seats in the new parliament.
United Torah Judaism represents ultra-Orthodox Jews of Ashkenazi origin, many of whom have European roots. Along with Shas, which represents the Sephardic ultra-Orthodox community, it has traditionally been aligned with Netanyahu.
Both parties have sought to preserve exemptions from compulsory military service for religious students, a contentious issue in Israeli politics. Netanyahu has maintained these exemptions but has not gone as far as incorporating them into law.
The issue has generated considerable resentment among sections of Israeli society, particularly as military reservists have been repeatedly called up to serve in conflicts involving Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.
United Torah Judaism lawmaker Isaac Pindrus indicated that securing the status of religious students would remain a priority in negotiations over the next government.
“In whatever government is next formed, our immediate item is sorting out the status of Torah students,” he said.
Eisenkot, a former military chief who is seeking to bring together centrist and centre-right political forces, has taken a firm position against the existing exemptions. He has argued for changes to the military service system, while some of his opposition allies have criticised the ultra-Orthodox parties over what they describe as an unfair arrangement.
Political observers believe United Torah Judaism’s decision not to recommend Netanyahu may be a negotiating tactic rather than a definitive break with him. The move could be intended to signal that the party's parliamentary support cannot be taken for granted and to put pressure on the former prime minister.
The party could still join a government led by Netanyahu if he manages to secure the necessary support. With neither main contender commanding a clear majority, negotiations with smaller political groups are expected to play a crucial role in determining Israel’s next government.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
