Israeli president picks Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu rival, to try to form government

Reuters ^ | November 7, 2026

[MinorityRepublican]

Israel's president on Saturday chose Gadi Eisenkot, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strongest rival, to try to form a ​new government following a deadlocked election that left neither man with a clear path to power.

Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving leader, is ‌fighting to stay in office after his religious-nationalist coalition lost its majority in an October 27 election but still emerged as the largest bloc in parliament.

Eisenkot, a former military chief, has declined to join forces with Arab parties, with whose support he would have a majority of seats in parliament. But Arab leaders, incensed by what ​they view as the racist policies of Netanyahu and his far-right allies, still nominated Eisenkot to try to form a government ​first — giving him the most endorsements.

"President Herzog has invited Gadi Eisenkot to the President’s Residence, where he will ⁠be tasked with forming the government tomorrow," said the spokesperson of President Isaac Herzog, whose largely ceremonial role involves nominating a candidate to form a coalition ​after elections.

---

TOPICS: Israel
KEYWORDS:

[The Louiswu]

Do Islamic countries ever have elections and if they do are they contested or have multiple candidates?

[RetiredArmy]

Trump humiliated by elections and a Bibi loss of power; Iran wins.

[MinorityRepublican]

Do Islamic countries ever have elections and if they do are they contested or have multiple candidates?

No. But the question is irrelevant anyway because that is not their political system.

Democracy failed in Ancient Greece.

We are realizing the same thing in the West.

[cowboyusa]

We wish you success Israel. You will remain an ally. Now, you must chart your own course. OUR WAR IS HERE!

[DesertRhino]

Eisenkot has lost two nephews and a son in the Gaza war. And he does not have a reputation as a libtard. He’s not a win for Iran. He’s a serious man and was once Chief of Staff of the IDF.

And he’d be the first non-Askezani to be PM. Probably a good choice all around.

[chajin]

From AI Overview:

“1. Etymology and Origin of the Surname

• Berber Roots: The surname derives from the Tashelhit Berber word aznkʷḍ (or azankad), meaning “gazelle” or “young noble man”.
• Historical Migration: It has been used by Sephardic and North African Jewish families (particularly in Morocco and Tunisia) since at least the 17th century.
• Name Transformation: When families immigrated to Israel, the North African surname Azenkot was often phonetically or bureaucratically adapted to sound more Ashkenazi, resembling the German words Eisen (iron) and Kot (feces).”

[Uncle Miltie]

How many Jews voted in the last elections in

Syria
Lebanon
Saudi Arabia
Egypt
Jordan
UAE
Yemen
Tunisia
Morocco

And on and on and on?

[Uncle Miltie]

ChatGPT:

There is documented evidence of Jewish people voting in at least Lebanon, and evidence of Jewish participation in electoral politics in Morocco, during this century.
The clearest evidence I found is:
Country
Evidence since 2000
Syria
No confirmed individual voter found
Lebanon
Yes – 5 Jewish voters in 2009
Saudi Arabia
No confirmed individual voter found
Egypt
No confirmed individual voter found
Jordan
No confirmed individual voter found
UAE
No confirmed individual voter found
Yemen
No confirmed individual voter found
Tunisia
No confirmed individual voter found
Morocco
Jewish candidates contested elections; individual Jewish voter counts not established
Sources for the confirmed cases
Lebanon, 2009: Asharq Al-Awsat reported that five Jewish voters (one man and four women) cast ballots in Minet al-Hosn.

english.aawsat.com
Lebanon, 2004: PBS’s FRONTLINE reported that one Jewish voter cast a ballot in Beirut’s municipal elections.

PBS
Morocco, 2007 and 2011: Jewish candidate Maguy Kakon contested parliamentary elections. She received votes, but the sources do not identify the voters’ religion.

Al Jazeera
+1
Bottom line: Lebanon provides direct evidence of Jewish citizens voting. Morocco provides clear evidence of Jewish electoral participation, but not a verified count of Jewish voters.
For the other seven countries, I haven’t found reliable individual-level evidence. That does not establish that no Jews voted there.

[Bob Wills is still the king]

“Do Islamic countries ever have elections and if they do are they contested or have multiple candidates?

No. But the question is irrelevant anyway because that is not their political system.

Democracy failed in Ancient Greece.

We are realizing the same thing in the West.”
__________________________________________________________

The Greeks had a period of direct democracy, managed by the city-states and then reported to Athens. The same practice was used early during the Roman Republic, but quickly found to be unwieldy when direct democracy was attempted at a larger scale.

Thus, the birth of Representative Democracy, informed by the ideals of Plato’s Republic and Greek civilization. That lasted until 44 BCE, when Julius Caesar became the “dictator in chief” and was subsequently assassinated. In 27 BC, his son Octavian was elevated to supreme Emperor, Caesar Augustus, ending forever the Roman Republic and citizen level democracy.

[MinorityRepublican]

Thus, the birth of Representative Democracy, informed by the ideals of Plato’s Republic and Greek civilization.

It worked for America until we passed the 19th Amendment.

[Paul R.]

On first and even 2nd glance, Eisenkot seems ok to me. Bennet (not in the running, now, really) is a bit scary. Most of the time he seems ok, but on occasion he seems unable to control his emotions, and blows a gasket, so to speak. Israel does have nukes...

(Of course, that rational x100, for me, applies to Iran. Their REAL leaders’ and ~ several millions of their supporters gaskets were blown permanently a long time ago.)

Looking a bit deeper though, the problem with Eisenkot may be how much influence the Arabs have in policy, if he has to ally with them to form a government.