Israel's new parliament to be sworn in as leaders compete to form government

As opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot seeks to oust caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, israel's new parliament will be sworn in on Tuesday.

Key points

• While Netanyahu's bloc won 53, leaving both short of a majority, his bloc of four parties won 48 seats in last month's election.
• On Sunday, President Isaac Herzog tasked Eisenkot with trying to form a administration.
• The ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism (UTJ) and Shas parties.
• Netanyahu – Israel's longest-serving leader – reiterated in a video on Monday his call for the formation of a administration of national unity.
• He remarked any Zionist party – those which backing Israel as a Jewish state – including opposition parties, would be eligible.

After he received the backing of 67 members of the 120-seat Knesset, compared to 46 for Netanyahu, the former army chief was tasked with forming a administration by the president.

But Eisenkot faces an uphill struggle. While Netanyahu's bloc won 53, leaving both short of a majority, his bloc of four parties won 48 seats in last month's election. He has 28 days to build a coalition, with a feasible two-week extension.

While Arab-led parties have a record number of seats, almost half of the MKs being sworn in did not serve in the previous parliament.

Notably, the outcome of the election. It was widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu, means there is a period of uncertainty over who will form the next administration. Netanyahu will remain caretaker prime minister until then – a process which could take from days to months.

One of the most dramatic results was the performance of Israel's two Arab-led alliances – the United Arab List and the Joint List – which won an unprecedented 19 seats between them after a surge in turnout among Arab voters.

Although Netanyahu has ruled out governing with them and three of the parties in Eisenkot's bloc have resisted including them in a coalition, the Arab parties could therefore hold the balance of power.

Speaking at the president's residence, the centrist Yashar party leader pressed the formation of a "national emergency government" – an implicit appeal to parties to put ideological differences aside to remove Netanyahu from office. This, he remarked, would "require creative and unconventional political steps".

Eisenkot remarked any party or MK prepared to accept four principles could join his proposed administration. Those are recognition of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state; accepting the values of the Declaration of Independence; backing mandatory military, national or civilian service for all, including communities at present exempt; and recognising Hamas as a terrorist organisation and committing to dismantling its military and governing capabilities.

For context, the four requirements, nevertheless, could present significant obstacles to Eisenkot's potential partners.

For context, the conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men. This person are exempt from military service if they are in full-time religious study, was a major election matter.

Meanwhile, the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism (UTJ) and Shas parties. It won 13 seats in total, have fiercely objected to attempts to change the status quo – something that all parties in Eisenkot's bloc campaigned to do.

Eisenkot's four principles are additionally contentious for the Arab parties. Both emphasise equal national and civic rights for Israel's Arab citizens. This person form regarding 20% of the population; the vast majority of Israeli Arabs are not required to serve in the military; and neither has publicly recognised Hamas as a terrorist organisation.

Notably, the Arab parties could, though, support Eisenkot form a minority administration. The United Arab List, which won eight seats, has remarked it is willing to be part of an Eisenkot-led coalition, while the Joint List. It won 11 seats, has offered parliamentary backing from the outside.

If Eisenkot accepted such an arrangement, he would still have to persuade other parties in his bloc to agree. Avigdor Lieberman, whose Yisrael Beiteinu party won seven seats, has so far refused to join a minority administration dependent on Arab MKs.

In return for their backing, the ultra-Orthodox parties would be probable to demand major concessions on military conscription. It might be unacceptable to most of the parties in Eisenkot's bloc.

Netanyahu – Israel's longest-serving leader – reiterated in a video on Monday his call for the formation of a administration of national unity. It he stated he would lead as prime minister.

He remarked any Zionist party – those which backing Israel as a Jewish state – including opposition parties, would be eligible. He cautioned against a administration which relied on what he called "the Islamists", an apparent reference to Arab parties. "You cannot form a government with Hamas supporters, " he remarked.

Taken together, the developments around israel' s new parliament to be sworn in as leaders compete to form point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.