HERZOG: EISENKOT HAS BEEN TASKED WITH FORMING NEW GOVERNMENT

JERUSALEM, NOVEMBER 7 /SRNA/ - The leader of the Yashar party, Gadi Eisenkot, will be tasked with forming Israel's next government, Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced.

The Israeli President's Office said that, following consultations, factions representing 67 members of parliament had recommended Gadi Eisenkot to form the government, while factions representing 46 MPs had recommended Benjamin Netanyahu. Seven MPs decided not to recommend anyone.

Herzog said the mandate would be formally handed over tomorrow, November 8, at the presidential residence in Jerusalem.

Following that, the former chief of the Israeli military will have 28 days to form a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension.

The final election results showed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats in the next Knesset, ahead of the opposition bloc, which won 48 seats.