Government leaders
Israeli president picks Netanyahu's rival Gadi Eisenkot to try to form government
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 Oct 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.