Israel’s President Herzog gives Gadi Eisenkot the first chance to form the next government

Israeli President Isaac Herzog formally gave opposition politician Gadi Eisenkot the first chance to form the next government on Sunday evening. Complex coalition negotiations still lie ahead, but it marked a significant step in the former military chief’s effort to oust Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, after elections held in a deeply divided country.

Israel remains scarred by the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, and the multifront wars they triggered. “I hope...