Israel's Arab list backs Eisenkot as Netanyahu loses ultra-Orthodox support

France 24 · FRANCE 24 · 2026-11-05 14:43 UTC

Israel's largest Arab party grouping said Thursday it would recommend opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to form the next government, potentially bolstering his bid after Arab-majority lists won a record 19 seats in last week's election and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lost the support of an allied religious party.

Israel's largest Arab party grouping said Thursday it would recommend opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to form the next government, potentially bolstering his bid after Arab-majority lists won a record 19 seats in last week's election and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lost the support of an allied religious party.

Israel's largest Arab list on Thursday said it would back Gadi Eisenkot to form the next government, bolstering his chances of being picked over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who lost the support of an allied religious party.

President Isaac Herzog was holding a second day of consultations with political parties after the October 27 election – in which neither Netanyahu, a polarising right-winger who has led Israel through three years of war, nor Eisenkot, a former military chief promising to restore national unity – secured enough votes for a majority.

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