Eisenkot expected to get presidential mandate after 67 recommendations; Herzog wraps consultations

Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot is expected to receive the mandate to form Israel's next government from President Isaac Herzog, The Jerusalem Post reported Thursday, after party consultations left him with 67 recommendations to Benjamin Netanyahu's backing from a smaller right-religious bloc.

Eisenkot had secured recommendations from Yisrael Beytenu, the Democrats, Ra'am, the Joint List and Naftali Bennett's B'Yachad. Netanyahu had backing from Religious Zionist Party-Zehut, Shas and Otzma Yehudit. United Torah Judaism recommended neither candidate.

Herzog said he still planned private meetings with party heads over the weekend to "leave no stone unturned" toward a stable government. Opposition figures again rejected a unity deal with Netanyahu, with Yashar MK Meirav Cohen saying, "You don't do business with scorpions."

Update, Nov 5 evening ET: Herzog said he will assign a mandate on Sunday but has not committed to Eisenkot despite 67 recommendations (Amichai Stein / i24NEWS).