Israel’s United Torah Judaism party has declined to endorse Benjamin Netanyahu for prime minister, opening the door for rival Gadi Eisenkot to receive the mandate to form a government.
JERUSALEM: An ultra-Orthodox Jewish party long aligned with Benjamin Netanyahu declined on Thursday to recommend him to stay as Israel’s prime minister, as signs grew that rival Gadi Eisenkot will have the first chance to form a government.
President Isaac Herzog was holding a second day of consultations with political parties after the October 27 election, in which neither Netanyahu — a polarising right-winger who has led Israel through three years of war — nor Eisenkot secured enough votes for a majority.
United Torah Judaism, which backed Netanyahu after the previous five elections, in its meeting with Herzog declined to recommend Netanyahu again as prime minister, although it also did not side with Eisenkot.
