Israel's President Herzog tasks opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming government
Unbiased summary
Israel's president, Isaac Herzog, announced on Saturday that he would task opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party, with forming a new government. The decision follows consultations with all parties after the 27 October election, in which neither Eisenkot's opposition bloc nor Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition secured a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Eisenkot's bloc won 48 seats, while Netanyahu's camp won 53; Arab-led parties won 19 seats, potentially making them kingmakers. Herzog's office stated that 67 Knesset members recommended Eisenkot and 46 recommended Netanyahu. Eisenkot will have 28 days to form a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension. The formal appointment ceremony is scheduled for Sunday.
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Coverage by outlet
The Guardian
left
Angle
Frames Eisenkot as a centrist uniter and Netanyahu as a divisive right-winger, emphasizing Eisenkot's opposition to extremism and his tough stance on Hamas.
Bias
The Guardian portrays Eisenkot as seeking to unite Israelis after Netanyahu's divisive tenure and highlights his vow to crack down on extremist settlers, while noting he opposes a Palestinian state. It downplays the complexity of coalition negotiations and the fact that Eisenkot has not yet formed a government, instead focusing on his potential to take over. The framing leans left by criticizing Netanyahu's rightward shift and emphasizing Eisenkot's credentials as a military man who is 'no peacenik,' which adds nuance but still presents a favorable view of Eisenkot.
BBC News
centre-left
Angle
Provides a procedural, neutral account of the president's decision, focusing on the mechanics of coalition formation and the numbers involved.
Bias
BBC News sticks closely to the facts, detailing the seat counts, the president's consultations, and the timeline for forming a government. It mentions that Arab-led parties could be kingmakers but notes that most Jewish parties pledged not to work with them. The coverage is balanced and avoids editorializing, though it does not delve into the ideological differences between the candidates. Deviation from neutral is minimal.
The Mirror
centre-left
Angle
Focuses on the potential ouster of Netanyahu and the challenges Eisenkot faces in forming a coalition, including the need to work with Arab parties.
Bias
The Mirror emphasizes that Eisenkot is a step closer to ousting Israel's longest-serving premier and notes the difficult task of forming a coalition in a deeply divided country. It mentions that any coalition would require tough compromises and that Arab parties could be kingmakers, but also notes Netanyahu's claims that Arab parties 'stole' the elections. The coverage is relatively balanced but leans slightly towards the drama of Netanyahu's potential downfall, with a focus on the political horse-trading.
Daily Mail
right
Angle
Presents the development as a blow to Netanyahu, emphasizing Eisenkot's criticism of Netanyahu's government and the threat to Israeli democracy.
Bias
The Daily Mail highlights Eisenkot's statement that Israel is in a 'true, tangible, and dangerous state of emergency' and that Netanyahu's government threatens Israeli democracy. It also notes that Eisenkot has declined to join forces with Arab parties, which could complicate coalition-building. The outlet frames the story as a potential ouster of Netanyahu, focusing on the political threat rather than the procedural details. It strays from neutral by adopting a more dramatic tone and emphasizing conflict.
GB News
right
Angle
Frames the story as a political deadlock being potentially broken, but emphasizes that Netanyahu's bloc received more seats and that Eisenkot may struggle with Arab party support.
Bias
GB News notes that Netanyahu's bloc received more overall seats and that Eisenkot will have to negotiate with Arab parties, which some opposition parties have vowed not to work with. It includes a quote from Yisrael Beiteinu describing Arab parties as 'supporters of terrorism,' which adds a right-leaning slant. The outlet downplays the president's discretion in choosing a candidate and instead highlights the seat disparity, subtly questioning the legitimacy of Eisenkot's mandate.