Eisenkot’s receipt of the presidential mandate to form a government after the October 27 election has centered trader attention on coalition negotiations between his Yashar-led bloc and Netanyahu’s Likud. With Likud securing 27 seats and its aligned parties reaching 53 total while Eisenkot’s group holds 48, neither side commands the 61-seat Knesset majority required. Arab parties’ combined 19 seats and the ultra-Orthodox parties remain pivotal swing factors, as Eisenkot explores options with Haredi factions and parallel talks with Likud advance toward a possible unity arrangement. The November 17 speaker vote and the December formation deadline, extendable to late December, now define the near-term timeline, with failure potentially triggering fresh elections in 2027 while Netanyahu continues as caretaker.