Israeli President Isaac Herzog is set to formally announce his pick for the next Prime Minister this Sunday, following a series of intense consultations with parliamentary leaders. The decision comes after a complex election cycle where neither incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu nor his challenger, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, managed to secure an outright majority. While Eisenkot holds a significant lead in recommendations from 67 parliament members compared to Netanyahu’s 46, Herzog has expressed caution, noting that deep-seated political divisions and mutual vetoes among the blocs make the path to a stable coalition far from certain.

The political landscape is further complicated by the emergence of Arab-majority parties as potential kingmakers, with both major Arab lists throwing their support behind Eisenkot. However, the prospect of an Arab-backed government is meeting internal resistance from right-wing factions within Eisenkot’s own coalition, such as Israel Beiteinu, which refuses to partner with them. Meanwhile, Netanyahu faces his own hurdles; traditional allies like United Torah Judaism have withheld their support, signaling dissatisfaction over stalled legislative efforts to maintain military service exemptions for religious students. As the clock ticks, the designated candidate will have 28 days to navigate these fractures and form a government that can bridge the country's profound secular and religious divides.