Herzog Urges Compromise After Israel Election

Herzog urges compromise from both sides in Israel, as the president opened talks on forming a new government after an election that produced no clear winner.

President Isaac Herzog began meeting party leaders on Wednesday, more than a week after Israel’s first election since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks. He must decide whether to give Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or his rival Gadi Eisenkot the first chance to form a government in a deeply polarised country.

Neither bloc holds a majority in the 120-seat parliament after the October 27 vote. Herzog told both sides they needed to accept that not every commitment and promise could be fulfilled, and he urged them to avoid fresh elections.

“In the current reality, in which there is no clear winner after the elections, I ask for originality and creativity, courage and goodwill, so that the State of Israel emerges the winner,” Herzog said.

Herzog urges compromise amid attacks on Arab parties

Herzog also condemned racist rhetoric against Arab parties, which made sharp gains in the vote. The Arab minority descends from Palestinians who stayed in Israel after its creation in 1948, and it makes up around 20 per cent of the population.

Netanyahu has gone on the offensive against Arab-majority lists, which hold the power to put Eisenkot in office if they join forces with his bloc. The prime minister pointed to the arrests of several people carrying envelopes of cash on election day, in what the authorities called localised incidents. He also accused Arab leaders of accepting money from Qatar, an allegation that has also been levelled against the prime minister’s own aides.

Herzog did not name any leader, but he said he had great respect for the Arab minority. “I condemn the coarseness and racist expressions that we have heard recently. There is no place for them toward any community in Israel,” he said.

The Central Elections Committee audited 9,069 polling stations after complaints and found no evidence that would question the integrity of the results. The committee approved the results with 15 members in favour and two against, while 14 others abstained. That audit outcome was covered in Israel Election Body Rejects Fraud Claims.

Itamar Ben Gvir, the ultra-nationalist national security minister, said his party did not accept the results and urged the arrest of Arab-Israeli party leaders. Eisenkot, a former military chief who has vowed to turn the page on Netanyahu’s long and divisive rule, accused the prime minister of trying to undermine Israeli democracy and inflame sentiment against elected officials.

What the deadlock means for Israel’s next government

Herzog’s role is usually ceremonial, yet his next steps will shape the process. He will hold two days of initial consultations and then give one contender 28 days to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension.

History shows how long this can take. It took Netanyahu 58 days to form a government after the last election in November 2022, when his Likud party had a better showing. Israel held five elections between 2019 and 2022 after repeated deadlocks, so the warning against new elections carries real weight.

Eisenkot has warned Netanyahu against launching a new war with his ally, United States President Donald Trump, against Iran. He argued that such a move could help the prime minister push for a unity government or run out the clock until new elections. Opposition lawmakers said the midterm elections in the United States, in which Democrats trounced Trump’s Republicans, reinforced the need to remove Netanyahu. That result was covered in Democrats Win US Congress in Midterm Rout.

Yair Golan, who heads the most left-wing party within the opposition bloc, warned that the continued tenure of Netanyahu and Ben Gvir could lead Israel toward international sanctions, isolation and a clash with the US, its friend and most important ally.

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has been in power on and off for nearly two decades. He has called for a broad national government with himself at the top. He also faces corruption charges that could land him in jail if he leaves office.

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has been in power on and off for nearly two decades. He has called for a broad national government with himself at the top. He also faces corruption charges that could land him in jail if he leaves office. Herzog’s statements have raised speculation about a possible unity government, but Eisenkot and his allies have ruled that option out.

Frequently asked questions

Why did Herzog urge compromise?

Herzog urged compromise because neither bloc won a majority in the 120-seat parliament after the October 27 election, so a government can only form through deals between parties.

Who will Herzog ask to form a government first?

Herzog must choose between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival Gadi Eisenkot after two days of consultations with party leaders.

How long does the chosen leader have to form a government?

The chosen contender gets 28 days to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension.

What did the election audit find?

The Central Elections Committee audited 9,069 polling stations and found no evidence that would question the integrity of the results.

Has Israel faced this kind of deadlock before?

Yes. Israel held five elections between 2019 and 2022 after repeated deadlocks, and it took Netanyahu 58 days to form a government after the November 2022 election.