In a significant political shift, the Joint List—Israel’s primary alliance of Arab parties—has officially announced its intention to recommend Gadi Eisenkot to President Isaac Herzog to lead the next government. This decision follows a highly consequential election where Arab-majority lists secured a record-breaking 19 seats in the 120-member parliament. By positioning themselves as potential kingmakers, these parties are signaling a strategic pivot in their influence over the nation’s governance and parliamentary coalition building.

President Herzog is currently engaged in a critical series of consultations with various political factions to determine who will be tasked with forming a new administration. While neither the incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu nor his challenger, the former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, secured a clear parliamentary majority, the momentum appears to be shifting. With Eisenkot receiving support from the opposition bloc and the Joint List, and traditional Netanyahu allies like United Torah Judaism withholding their usual backing, the path toward a new government is becoming increasingly complex and pivotal for Israel’s future.