All eyes are on Israel President Herzog as Netanyahu, Eisenkot fall short of majority

Israel's final election results have left the country facing uncertainty, with neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc nor the main opposition alliance securing enough seats to form a majority government. With the outcome now clear, the role of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who has a key constitutional role in deciding who gets the first opportunity to form the next government, is in focus.Isaac Herzog, Israel's 11th president, was elected by the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) in June 2021, and he took office the following month. (AFP)The final count announced by the Central Elections Committee showed that Netanyahu's bloc won 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, significantly fewer than the 68 seats it held at its peak in the previous parliament. The opposition alliance, led by Yashar, the party of former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, secured 48 seats, while Arab-led parties won the remaining 19. Notably, the parliamentary majority mark required to form the government is 61. Click here to track live updates on Israel electionsAlthough the counting process is complete, the results must still be formally certified and submitted to the president by Wednesday, November 4.With no alliance securing a majority, the next step will depend largely on Herzog and the choices he makes during government formation. Before looking at the process, here is what to know about the Israeli president.What we know about Isaac HerzogHerzog, Israel's 11th president, was elected by the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, in June 2021, and he took office the following month.His father, Chaim Herzog, served as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations before becoming the president and serving from 1983 to 1993.Also read: From Texas to Kansas, the Senate and House midterm races that could decide which party runs US CongressHis grandfather, Rabbi Yitzhak Halevi Herzog, was Ireland's first chief rabbi and held the position for more than a decade before becoming the chief rabbi of Palestine and then Israel, serving from 1936 to 1959.A trained lawyer, Herzog entered politics through the centre-left Labor Party. He served in several ministerial roles, including as minister of welfare and social services, before leading the party from 2013 to 2018. In 2015, he contested against Benjamin Netanyahu for the prime minister's post but was unsuccessful.After losing the party leadership role, Herzog took charge of the Jewish Agency in 2018, which plays a key role in maintaining ties between Israel and Jewish communities worldwide.Herzog is often seen as softer-spoken and less outspoken than many of his contemporaries. Some observers have suggested that these traits may have blocked his ambition of becoming prime minister, The Guardian reported.Also read: Netanyahu, Eisenkot or fresh polls? With no clear mandate, here are four ways Israel can form its next governmentYair Lapid, who is now part of Eisenkot's broad opposition bloc, had praised Herzog earlier, describing him as "a worthy and wonderful man who is always focused on the good of the country and the Jewish people".Herzog has faced pressure from Trump repeatedlyAs president, Herzog has faced pressure from US President Donald Trump to pardon Netanyahu, who is facing long-running corruption trials that could result in a prison sentence if he loses power. Netanyahu, the only sitting Israeli prime minister to face trial, has denied the allegations and called the case a witch hunt orchestrated by the media, police and judiciary.In April, Herzog had invited Netanyahu's lawyers and prosecutors to his residence to discuss the matter.Ahead of Tuesday's crucial vote, Herzog said he expected pressure but would not allow external influence, including from Trump, to affect his decision.Also read: Historic showing for Arab parties in Israel"I don't think the president of the United States or anybody else can intervene in my discretion," he told American outlet MS Now. "It's Israel's democracy and Israel's constitution, and that's what counts for me."Earlier this month, Herzog had called Trump Israel’s “No 1 friend”. In an interview with Axel Springer Global Reporters Network’s Jan Philipp Burgard, he said, “First of all, we have many friends. I think President Trump is the No. 1 friend. We have great friendship with the administration and with him.”Israel president has vowed to try to avoid fresh round of pollsAs votes were being counted on Wednesday, Herzog declared that he would do everything he could to avoid a fresh round of elections."One thing must be clear, and I said this before the elections too: we must do everything we can, certainly after yesterday, to avoid another round of elections," he said. "So I expect everyone who comes here to come with an open mind."Why Herzog’s role as president matters nowIsraelis do not directly elect their prime minister. Instead, voters choose political parties, which receive seats in the Knesset based on their share of the vote. The leader who eventually becomes prime minister is chosen through the government formation process after the election.Also read: The options before Israel: A Netanyahu-Eisenkot deal, a minority government or no new governmentThis is where the president comes in. The Knesset elects the president separately, and the president is responsible for meeting representatives of the elected parties before deciding which lawmaker should get the first chance to form a government.The president is not required to choose the leader of the party that wins the most seats. Instead, the decision can go to another leader if the president believes that person has a better chance of securing enough support to form a coalition and win a confidence vote in the Knesset.There is a precedent for this. In 2009, then-President Shimon Peres invited Benjamin Netanyahu to form the government even though his right-wing Likud party had won fewer votes than the centrist Kadima party.The president has seven days from the formal announcement of the election results to consult all party leaders before making a decision.Once the certified election results are received by the president, he holds meetings with representatives of all parties elected to the Knesset. During these consultations, party leaders recommend the candidate they believe should become prime minister.After hearing their views, the president selects the lawmaker he believes has the best chance of forming a government.Also read: Israel election: Arab parties projected to win record seats but may not be 'kingmakers'The person chosen is generally given 28 days to complete the process. The president can grant an additional 14 days if required. If the candidate fails to secure sufficient support, the president can offer another lawmaker the opportunity, in accordance with constitutional procedure.The possible options before HerzogThe election outcome has made government formation difficult. Netanyahu's bloc has 53 seats, the opposition has 48 and Arab-led parties hold 19.It is possible that Herzog could give Eisenkot the first opportunity if more than 61 lawmakers recommend him, including members of the Arab parties, reported Israeli news outlet Ynet.If Eisenkot cannot form a government, Herzog could then turn to Netanyahu. If both leaders fail to secure a coalition, the president may try to bring them together to form a national unity government.Ynet, citing officials at the President's Residence, reported that Herzog would not necessarily grant the first mandate to the leader of the party with the most seats. The level of support each candidate receives during consultations will also matter.Notably, both Arab parties have indicated their willingness to work with Eisenkot's camp. Ra'am became part of Naftali Bennett's government in 2021, marking the first time an independent Arab party joined an Israeli coalition. The government, however, collapsed after 18 months.