By Sohaib Shams
Israeli President Isaac Herzog met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, on Thursday as he prepares to decide which leader will get the first opportunity to form a government after last month's inconclusive election.
The election, held in October, left neither bloc with a clear majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Netanyahu's right-wing religious coalition fell from 68 to 53 seats, while Eisenkot's Change bloc of Zionist parties holds 48 seats.
Arab Israeli parties, which saw turnout more than double to about 80%, now hold a record 19 seats and could act as kingmakers. The Joint List has 11 seats and the Islamist Ra'am party has eight.
Arab parties weigh influence
Joint List leader Yousef Jabareen acknowledged disagreements with Eisenkot but said Palestinian voters want change after facing intensified racism, discrimination, crime and exclusion under the current coalition. Ra'am has indicated it would join a government led by Eisenkot, while the Joint List suggests tactical opposition support.
Herzog urges stability
Herzog, who also met delegations from Arab parties and smaller factions, called on all sides to avoid another election. "An immense responsibility rests upon us," he said, citing security, diplomatic and internal challenges.
Netanyahu challenges results
Netanyahu, who remains prime minister in a caretaker capacity, has seized on an investigation into possible vote tampering to cast doubt on the results, accusing Arab-led parties of stealing votes. Israel's Central Election Committee said Wednesday the election's integrity had not been compromised. Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, who heads the committee, warned that undermining trust in the vote endangers the peaceful transfer of power.
Far-right demands arrests
Far-right allies of Netanyahu, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, have called for the immediate arrest and interrogation of Arab party leaders.
