Netanyahu remains PM as Eisenkot tasked with forming government

After November 2026 elections, President Herzog tasked Gadi Eisenkot with forming a government, but Benjamin Netanyahu continues as prime minister of a transitional government. Eisenkot's camp won a Knesset vote to form the Arrangements Committee, while Netanyahu retains security authority and threatens renewed war with Iran.

President Isaac Herzog has given Gadi Eisenkot the mandate to form a government, but Benjamin Netanyahu continues to head a transitional government and holds security powers. The article examines the legal and political question: can a transitional government start a war with Iran? The answer is complex: the law does not explicitly forbid it, but case law requires restraint and proportionality. The article reviews the gap between Netanyahu's position, calling for the overthrow of the ayatollah regime, and the Trump administration's position, which prefers economic pressure and diplomatic contacts. It notes historical precedents of military operations under transitional governments, and highlights Eisenkot's letter to Netanyahu demanding restraint in security decision-making.