The President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, on Wednesday requested political leaders to reach an agreement on forming a government and condemned the recent elections, which he stated had no clear winner. He also strongly criticized the racist tone directed against Arab parties.
Current Situation and Challenges Ahead
More than a week after the preliminary elections in Israel, held following the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas, Herzog has begun consultations with party leaders to decide whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or his rival, Gadi Eisenkot, should be given the first opportunity to form a government. In this election, neither of the two blocs led by Netanyahu and Eisenkot succeeded in gaining a majority in the 120-seat parliament.
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In this regard, Herzog stated, "Both sides must accept that neither every commitment and promise can be fulfilled nor should they head towards new elections." He also called for creativity and courage to be employed in these circumstances without a clear winner, so that the state of Israel can achieve victory.
Increased Support for Arab Parties and Reactions
This election witnessed an increase in support for Arab lists, which are descendants of Palestinians who remained in the country after the establishment of Israel in 1948 and are highly dissatisfied with the tone and actions of Netanyahu's right-wing government. Netanyahu has actively opposed the Arab lists that could bring Eisenkot to power.
Herzog referred to respect for the Arab minority, stating, "I strongly condemn the violence and racist expressions we have recently heard. No one should witness such disrespect towards any of Israel's communities."
The Central Election Committee announced that during the inspection of 9,069 polling stations, no evidence was found to undermine the integrity of the results. Judge Noam Solberg, who heads the committee, stated that officials will continue their investigations into the claims, but these investigations will fundamentally not change the results.
While Netanyahu seeks to form a broad national government, Herzog has announced that initial consultations will be held for two days, after which a candidate will be given 28 days to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension.
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