New Israeli parliament convenes without governing majority
The Knesset is sworn in as opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot continues trying to form a coalition.
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The newly elected members of Israel’s parliament are sworn in on Tuesday, while it remains unclear which coalition will govern Israel. President Isaac Herzog has tasked opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming a government, but no bloc has a majority.
The swearing-in of the new Knesset is a formal step following the 27 October election. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s incumbent government will remain in office for now as a caretaker cabinet with limited powers, until a new coalition is formed.
On Sunday, President Herzog gave Eisenkot the first mandate to form a government. According to Associated Press, a majority of parliamentarians supported that choice during the consultations. Eisenkot has 28 days, with a possible two-week extension, to gather sufficient support.
The election result produced no clear majority for Eisenkot’s bloc or for Netanyahu and his allies. Arab parties made historic gains. One of those parties, Ra’am, says it is willing to support Eisenkot, but it does not have enough seats to provide a majority on its own. The Joint List has offered support from outside the coalition.
That support is politically complicated. Eisenkot has listed among his conditions that parties recognise Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, accept the declaration of independence, support military or national service for all citizens, and recognise Hamas as a terrorist organisation. The conservative Yisrael Beytenu party has said it does not want to govern with Arab parties.
There are also major substantive conflicts on the table. Eisenkot’s camp wants to end exemptions from military service for ultra-Orthodox men, while religious parties want to retain those exemptions. AP also describes the wars and tensions surrounding Gaza, Lebanon and Iran as decisive for the negotiations. According to AP, Herzog could give Netanyahu another chance if Eisenkot fails to form a coalition; new elections would then be possible.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The new Knesset is sworn in without a clear governing majority.
- Eisenkot has the first mandate to form a coalition.
- Arab parties could play a role in creating a majority.
- Military service, the wars and the position of Arab parties are important points of contention.
Left
Arguments A new government should politically include the Arab minority, strengthen equal civil rights, and reopen debate on the protracted wars and occupation.
Values Equality, civil rights, democratic inclusion and limiting military force.
Consequences An inclusive coalition could broaden the political system, but risks falling apart over security and Hamas’s position.
Centre
Arguments The priority is a workable coalition that keeps the institutions functioning, distributes military and civilian responsibilities, and makes policy step by step.
Values Administrative stability, institutional continuity and compromise.
Consequences A broad coalition could prevent deadlock, but would probably have to postpone sharp substantive differences.
Right
Arguments A government should put security, military strength and Israel’s Jewish identity at the centre, and be cautious about relying on Arab parties.
Values National security, continuity and national identity.
Consequences A coalition without right-wing nationalist parties could lose support among voters who see the war and military service as top priorities.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The date of the swearing-in, the mandate given to Eisenkot and the coalition problems were checked against AP and The Times of Israel. The text presents possible coalitions and new elections as options, not as settled outcomes.
- confirmed The new Knesset will be sworn in on 10 November. — AP reports that the new members will be sworn in on Tuesday evening; the date is 10 November 2026. source
- confirmed Gadi Eisenkot has 28 days to form a government, with a possible two-week extension. — This is stated in AP’s report on the coalition formation. source
- confirmed No bloc has a clear majority. — AP describes the election result as a situation without a majority for Eisenkot’s or Netanyahu’s bloc. source
Editor's note
The swearing-in is the new development; the coalition has not yet been formed. The exact composition of the future government remains uncertain.Sources
- Israel’s president gives Eisenkot first chance at government — Associated Press
- Knesset readies to welcome dozens of new faces — The Times of Israel
More on this in Dutch media
- RTL Nieuws — „israël knesset”
- NOS — „israël knesset”
- Het Parool — „israël knesset”