Following inconclusive national elections, President Isaac Herzog tasked opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming a government after neither bloc secured a majority. Under Article 30 of Israel's Basic Law, outgoing leadership maintains control over security, foreign relations, and state operations during the interim period. This caretaker status leaves the Shin Bet reporting directly to the sitting prime minister, who retains authority over military appointments while rival lawmakers remain shut out of the security cabinet.
Key points
Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot received the initial mandate to form a government after b…: Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot received the initial mandate to form a government after both political blocs fell short of 61 seats.
Caretaker leadership is barred from passing new legislation to provide immunity from ongo…: Caretaker leadership is barred from passing new legislation to provide immunity from ongoing domestic corruption trials.
Financial decisions that increase state debt and the selective sharing of security intell…: Financial decisions that increase state debt and the selective sharing of security intelligence can be used to complicate matters for an incoming administration.
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As Israel navigates political gridlock, Benjamin Netanyahu retains vast executive authority despite his caretaker status.
Two weeks after Israel’s national elections, opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has been given a chance by President Isaac Herzog to cobble together a government.
But with neither Eisenkot nor Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition securing the 61 seats needed to secure a majority in the Knesset, who eventually forms the next administration is far from clear.
As Eisenkot huddles with members of his alliance and negotiates with potential outside partners who could support his coalition, including Arab parties, Netanyahu remains ensconced as a caretaker prime minister. And if Eisenkot fails to form a government, Herzog might approach Netanyahu to see if he can form a workable coalition government.
This transitional status creates a unique political landscape where the incumbent lacks a popular mandate but retains the keys to the state’s most powerful institutions.
“Netanyahu lost the priority of forming the government, but he did not lose the current premiership,” Ehab Jabareen, an analyst and Palestinian citizen of Israel, told Al Jazeera. “His power now lies…
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