Israeli President Isaac Herzog will wait until 8 November to decide who will be tasked with forming the next government, after opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot secured the backing of 67 of the 120 newly elected parliamentarians ((MEES, 30 October)). Mr Herzog plans further discussions with party leaders before then.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received support from just 46 lawmakers following two days of consultations that concluded on 5 November. Mr Netanyahu suffered a setback when the seven-seat ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism (UTJ), a longstanding coalition partner, declined to endorse either candidate amid disagreements over military conscription exemptions. (CONTINUED - 167 WORDS)