Herzog Begins Coalition Talks as Degel HaTorah Withholds Endorsement

President Isaac Herzog began formal consultations on Wednesday evening in Jerusalem to determine which lawmaker he will task with forming the next Israeli government. The process is scheduled to continue through Thursday, with meetings ordered by party size, starting with smaller factions and concluding with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party.

The Degel HaTorah faction of the United Torah Judaism party confirmed it would not endorse any candidate for the premiership. This decision, made following instructions from spiritual leaders Rabbis Dov Lando and Moshe Hillel Hirsch, marks a public break between the faction and its longtime ally, Netanyahu. The rift centers on the outgoing coalition's failure to pass legislation guaranteeing military service exemptions for Haredi men.

Degel HaTorah holds four of the seven Knesset seats occupied by United Torah Judaism. The remaining three seats belong to the Hasidic Agudat Yisrael faction, which has not yet declared its position. As of Wednesday night, Eisenkot was expected to receive the mandate to form a government, holding a lead in recommendations over Netanyahu.

Several parties have already declared their preferences. Religious Zionism, Otzma Yehudit, Shas, and Likud stated they would recommend Netanyahu. Conversely, Yashar, the Democrats, B'Yachad, Yisrael Beytenu, and Ra'am indicated support for Gadi Eisenkot, the leader of Yashar. The Arab-led Joint List, which holds 11 seats, had not yet announced whether it would back Eisenkot or abstain, a choice it has made in previous elections.

During Wednesday's opening session, Herzog met with Religious Zionism representatives, including Settlements Minister Orit Strock. Strock recommended Netanyahu and called for a broad national government. She argued that Arab parties were not legitimate participants in the process because they are nationalists, not because of their ethnicity. Herzog challenged this view, asking how one distinguishes racism from such descriptions, and noted that Yoav Segalovitz, a Jewish police commander, holds the number two position on Ra'am's list.

Herzog also addressed Zehut party leader Moshe Feiglin, who recommended Netanyahu but expressed concern that a dark cloud hangs over the election's legitimacy due to ongoing investigations into voter fraud. Feiglin stated his party would join any government that aligns with its principles, provided it does not include Arab parties. Shas representatives, who also endorsed Netanyahu, told Herzog that the party had never disrespected IDF soldiers while prioritizing the value of Torah scholars.

Yisrael Beytenu representatives confirmed their endorsement of Eisenkot. MK Oded Forer explained that the party's refusal to work with Arab or Haredi partners was strategic rather than personal. He stated that Yisrael Beytenu cannot partner with groups unable to define Hamas as a terrorist organization. The party's director general added that Zehut would be happy to join any government that prevents future massacres, a stance that excludes Arab-led parties.

The consultations are due to resume on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. with United Torah Judaism. By the end of the process, Eisenkot is projected to receive at least 56 recommendations, compared to 53 for Netanyahu. If Eisenkot receives the mandate, he will have 42 days to form a coalition. This task will be complicated by opposition within his own bloc of Zionist parties to working with both Arab and Haredi partners.