-Former military chief has a few pathways to power
-Eisenkot has 28 days to try to form government with potential for 14-day extension
-He is son of Moroccan immigrants
Nov 7 (Reuters) - Israel's president on Saturday chose Gadi Eisenkot, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strongest rival, to try to form a new government following a deadlocked election that left neither man with a clear path to power.
Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving leader, is fighting to stay in office after his religious-nationalist coalition lost its majority in an October 27 election but still emerged as the largest bloc in parliament.
Eisenkot, a former military chief, has declined to join forces with Arab parties, with whose support he would have a majority of seats in parliament. But Arab leaders, incensed by what they view as the racist policies of Netanyahu and his far-right allies, still nominated Eisenkot to try to form a government first — giving him the most endorsements.
"President Herzog has invited Gadi Eisenkot to the President’s Residence, where he will be tasked with forming the government tomorrow," said the spokesperson of President Isaac Herzog, whose largely ceremonial role involves nominating a candidate to form a coalition after elections.
The issue here is treating Israelis as a monolith. Yes the religious nutbags (or Haredi if you want to be technical) maintain that Mizrathi aren't arab. So do many of the conservative older people. Many of the younger more urban Israelis are much more open minded. I have some Mizrathi family where the parents refuse to admit that they are Arabs (despite the fact that if they put on traditional Arabic clothes they'd look like the complete Arab stereotype), but their kids are proud to be Arab Jews. As is often the case, its the next generation where hope lives. The crotchety old folks are unlikely to change their minds.