Herzog to hand a mandate Sunday — but has not committed to Eisenkot despite 67 recommendations

President Isaac Herzog said Thursday he intends to task a Knesset member with forming Israel's next government on Sunday, but he has not said who will get the first chance, i24NEWS and Amichai Stein reported.

Sixty-seven of 120 Knesset members recommended Gadi Eisenkot, far ahead of caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's roughly 46. Herzog still stressed that the law leaves him to judge who can actually assemble a governing majority. "The results of the consultations may appear clear. However, the authority granted to me by law is to determine who has the ability to form a government," he said, keeping his options open.

Whoever gets the mandate will have 28 days, with a possible two-week extension. If that fails, Herzog can turn to Netanyahu or open a three-week window for any MK to prove 61 votes. Failure at every stage means another election.