ISRAEL PRESIDENT HERZOG OPENS TALKS ON FORMING GOVERNMENT

Israeli President Isaac Herzog began consultations with party leaders on Wednesday on forming a new government, more than a week after parliamentary elections held on 27 October. He must decide whether to give Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or his rival, Gadi Eisenkot, the first chance to form a government, after neither bloc won a majority in the 120-seat parliament. Herzog, whose role is usually ceremonial, said there was no clear winner and called for compromise. "I ask for originality and creativity, courage and goodwill, so that the State of Israel emerges the winner," he said. He added that both sides must accept that "not every commitment and promise can be fulfilled."

The election produced increased support for lists representing Israel's Arab minority, who make up around 20 percent of the population. Herzog said he held "great respect" for the Arab minority and condemned racist language directed at the community. "I condemn the coarseness and racist expressions that we have heard recently," he said. Netanyahu pointed to arrests of people found with envelopes of cash on election day, described by authorities as localised incidents, and alleged some Arab party leaders had accepted money from Qatar, an allegation also made against his own aides.

Arab-majority parties hold enough seats to help put Eisenkot into power if they align with his bloc. The Central Elections Committee said it audited 9,069 polling stations after receiving complaints and found no evidence calling the integrity of the results into question. Herzog's talks with party representatives will determine who receives the mandate to attempt to form Israel's next government. The vote was the first held since the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023.