News Digest — 11/9/26
It’s Official: Eisenkot Receives Mandate to Form Israel’s Next Government
On Sunday (8th), Israeli President Isaac Herzog tasked Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming a government. The ceremony took place at the President’s residence in Jerusalem.
Upon receiving the official results of the election for the 26th Knesset, I set about fulfilling the task assigned to me by Section 7 of Basic Law : The Government, and held consultations with the representatives of all the factions elected to the Knesset,” Herzog began. “These conversations were conducted with openness, candor and transparency, and they represented the essential nature of the democratic process.”
“They also brought to the surface the disputes, the painful points, and of course, the multitude of voices within Israeli society and politics. They were frank and pointed conversations, addressing the most important issues of this time. And they remind us all that every citizen of Israel has an equal voice, from every side, every view, every way of life, and every faith. I once again thank all the faction representatives who took part in the consultations.”
He added, “As I noted at the conclusion of the consultations Thursday evening (5th), the representatives of factions totaling sixty-seven members elected to the 26th Knesset recommended Kashar Leader Gadi Eisenkot to receive the mandate, while the representatives of factions totaling forty-six members of Knesset recommended the Prime Minister and Likud Leader, Benjamin Netanyahu. The representatives of one faction of seven members of the Knesset, chose to refrain from recommending any candidate.”
“In light of this, and following talks I have held with various figures in recent days, it is therefore evident that Mr. Eisenkot has received the clear and unequivocal support of a majority of members of Knesset on the most central question: who has the better chance of forming the next government that will win the confidence of the Knesset.”
“Therefore, by virtue of my authority under Basic Law: The Government, I have decided to task the Leader of the Yashar party LTG (res.) Gadi Eisenkot, with forming a government,”
Herzog emphasized, “I am well aware that Likud is the largest faction in the incoming Knesset. I noted this during the consultations as well. However, both on the basis of the facts I have set out, and on the basis of clear precedents set by my predecessors, who in several cases tasked the leader of a party that was not the largest with forming the government, I have decided, as I said, to task Gadi Eisenkot with forming a government.”
“The challenges facing the State of Israel are immense. Some demand urgent and immediate attention. Iran does not pause for a moment in its schemes and threats. We must work to build a diplomatic horizon in the region and for the day after the war. We must move forward with the Board of Peace and President Trump’s Twenty-Point plan for Gaza, and with negotiations with Lebanon and our other neighbors.”
“All this, of course, while waging a determined and resolute fight against terror and the empire of evil on every front. We must push back against sanctions and diplomatic threats, and also contend with a new political situation in the United States.”
We must make progress in resolving the question of military service and the needs of the IDF. We must try to define the boundaries of, and the relations between, the branches of government, and fortify our democracy. We must fight with all our strength against crime and the terrible violence, especially the violence concerning Arab society. We must protect and strengthen our economy. And we must focus on healing the wound of October 7th, which remains open in our flesh.”
“All these immense challenges, and many more, stand before us. The State of Israel needs a stable government that can meet them over time. This is the time to reach out a hand, to do everything for the unity of our people, and to strive for the best and most stable government possible for the people of Israel, which yearn for it.”
Turning to Eisenkot himself, Herzog said, “Yashar Leader gadi Eisenkot, I expect you to do everything in your power to establish a government that will serve the entire people, those who supported it and those who did not, and that will be a responsible and decent address for all sectors, faiths, ways of life, and worldviews.”
“And on a personal note, dear Gadi, I have known you for decades, since you completed your command of the Golani Brigade. You bring with you outstanding qualities of leadership. You have commanded soldiers from every part of the Israeli people and Israeli society. Your face bears the scars of bullets from decades of command and combat, from your days as a combat soldier to your service as the 21st Chief of the General Staff and the IDF. And your soul bears the most terrible scar of all: the heaviest price of all, paid by you and your family with the fall of your beloved son Gal and your two nephews in the war.”
In the coming days, Gadi, as you and your counterparts enter the negotiating rooms, I ask that you remember that the eyes of the entire nation, with all its pain, hopes, prayers, and fears, are upon you. Please act with wisdom, sensitivity, and care. I hope with all my heart that any government that is formed will lead to togetherness, connection, and healing among all parts of our people, for our very lives depend on it. We have only one country. I will be ready to help at any time toward this goal.
“Gadi Eisenkot, I hereby task you with forming the government, and I am therefore honored to present you with the letter of appointment for forming a government in Israel. I wish you great success in your mission. Thank you very much.”
‘You Are A Coward:’ Danon Confronts Iranian UN Representative In Heated Confrontation
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon sharply criticized Iran’s representative at the United Nations amid an Iranian attempt to prevent Israel from coordinating a draft resolution in the UN Sixth Committee, on Saturday and Sunday, (7th-8th) warning of the threat posed by the Iranian regime to European countries and the free world.
“Your regime funds terrorist proxies, rebuilds nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, blocks the Strait of Hormuz, and murders 50,000 innocent Iranians,” Danon said.
“First you threatened Israel, then the United States and the Gulf states, and now Europe as well, with a map of dozens of targets published in Tehran.”
Addressing the Iranian representative directly, Danon warned: “You think you can intimidate us? You are a coward, and your leaders are cowards hiding underground. Sit quietly with your head down and be grateful that you are allowed to sit there. The price you will pay for the terrorism you spread has only begun to be exacted.”
To the Iranian people, Danon said: “Soon you will reclaim your country and bring this evil regime to justice once and for all.”
Response To The Boycott: Philadelphia Supports Jewish Restaurants
Crowds of supporters gathered at Jewish restaurants in Philadelphia on Sunday (8th) in a show of solidarity after anti-Israel activists organized a boycott targeting several establishments over their alleged connections to Israel.
The demonstration, described by organizers as a “boycott ride,” focused on six restaurants in the city’s Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. Anti-Zionist groups promoting the event declared, “No business for Zionists,” and called for the businesses to be driven out of Philadelphia.
Dozens of demonstrators participated in the protest, organized by Philly Bike on You Left. Many wore masks or keffiyehs, while others carried Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) flags as they traveled through the neighborhood on bicycles.
The demonstration was met by counter-protesters who gathered along the route, waving Israeli and American flags and expressing support for the targeted establishments.
Some carried signs reading “Jew-hatred is un-American,” and “I am not a Jew with trembling knees.”
Video footage from the scene showed supporters of Israel standing on sidewalks and heckling the anti-Israel demonstrators as they cycled past.
The Israeli-American Council (IAC), which encouraged community members to respond to the boycott by visiting the restaurants, welcomed the turnout and praised those who participated in the counter-protest.
“Long lines. Israeli and American flags. A community standing with businesses targeted for being Jewish or supporting Israel. ‘Never again’ means showing up – in Philadelphia and beyond. Not just today, but all year. We won’t be intimidated,” the organization wrote on social media.
Merz: Muslim Immigrants Who Reject Germany’s Blame For The Holocaust ‘Must Leave The Country’
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday (6th) said that Muslim immigrants who refuse to acknowledge Germany’s historical responsibility for the Holocaust “must leave our country.”
“This historical responsibility of our country applies just as much to those who come here to Germany from Islamic countries,” Merz said at a Berlin reception for Jewish athletes who represented the country at this year’s Maccabiah Games, according to the dpa, German press.
“And anyone who fails to abide by this must leave our country,” he said.
According to reports, Merz’s remarks came after a Maccabiah basketball coach told the chancellor that Jewish athletes on his team expressed fear about wearing their team jackets, which bear a Star of David, in public.
Merz then referenced a 1985 Bundestag speech made by former German President Richard von Weizsacker, which emphasized the importance of recognizing and confronting the country’s role in the genocide of six million Jews during World War II.
Von Weizsacker said that while young people were not responsible for the Holocaust, they were responsible for its legacy.
“And that applies to German society as a whole,” said Merz, adding he considered those remarks as set in stone.
“And I would add, given the current circumstances: that also applies to immigrants who come to Germany,” he added.
Germany has faced persistently high levels of antisemitism in recent years, with 2,197 anti-Jewish incidents recorded in Berlin in 2025, according to a report published this year by Germany’s Federal Association of Departments for Research and Information on Antisemitism, known as RIAS.
After the report was published, a German legislator said that the threat to Jewish life is worse than at any time since the Holocaust.
The figures published in the report were down about 13 percent from 2,521 incidents the previous year, but remained more than double pre-October 7, 2023, levels. It described an increasingly hostile environment in which Jews and Israelis face harassment, intimidation, and violence in public spaces.
Israel Cannot Accept The Presence Of Armed Terrorists In Gaza Committed To Its Destruction – Khaled Abu Toameh
Hamas has no intention of relinquishing its grip in Gaza. Videos posted on Oct. 31 and Nov 1 from the funeral of Arafat al-Areer, a Hamas terrorist killed by the IDF showed large crowds and dozens of armed men firing into the air.
On July 30,2026, President Trump announced that the Board of peace had reached an agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. What happened to the negotiations to disarm Hamas? Weren’t we told that Hamas had agreed to surrender its weapons? Islamist terrorist organizations such as Hamas cannot be talked into abandoning their jihadist ideology , surrendering their weapons and giving up their commitment to Israel’s destruction.
The U.S. and the members of the Board of Peace should demand measurable, independently verified progress toward the complete dismantling of Hamas’ military and governing structures. There must be clear deadlines, transparent reporting, and immediate consequences for noncompliance.
A peace arrangement that leaves Hamas and Iran armed, organized and capable of rebuilding their military infrastructures is not an arrangement for lasting peace. It is a temporary pause that allows both Hamas and Iran to prepare for more massacres against Israel and everyone else.
Israel cannot be expected to accept the permanent presence of armed terrorist organizations, such as Hamas or its patron Iran, committed to its destruction. Israel cannot be expected to wait indefinitely while Hamas rebuilds a war machine. (Gatestone Institute)
Do The Arab Parties Accept Israel As A Jewish State? – Prof. Hillel Frisch
Israel’s Jewish majority has every right to test the relationship of the Arab parties in the Knesset and their conduct and aspirations towards the state, its Jewish majority, and its many declared enemies near and far. At least 85% of Arab voters voted for the two Arab lists. Content on the official sites of these parties paints a troubling picture from the point of view of most Jewish Israelis. Neither site acknowledges that Israel is the state of the Jewish people. One finds an Exhortation of a Palestinian state with eastern Jerusalem as its capital.
The more radical Joint List calls “to find a just solution to the refugee issue and their right of return.” Regarding Gaza, it calls “to consolidate the cessation of the war and the genocide and prevent their resumption, to lift the siege on Gaza and end military control over it, to guarantee aid, reconstruction, and the return of the displaced, and to resume the operations of international organizations, foremost among them the Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA.
When the overwhelming majority of Israel’s-Arab citizens vote for parties which do not accept the basic formula of the Jewish and democratic state, Israel’s Jewish citizens and parties that represent them have every right to distinguish between the Arab citizens’ civil rights as individuals and the parties they have elected. These parties seek to share in government and influence decision-making on matters related to the state’s fundamental identity and the crucial security issues it faces.
The writer is a senior researcher at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security and professor emeritus at bar Ilan University. (Jerusalem Post)
