Israeli president picks Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu rival, to form government

Israel’s ‌president on Saturday chose Gadi Eisenkot, prime ‌minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s strongest rival, to try to ​form a new government, Israeli media reported, following a deadlocked election ​that left neither man with a clear ⁠path to power.Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving ‌leader, ‌is ​fighting to hold onto office after his religious-nationalist ⁠coalition ​lost its majority in ​an October 27 election ‌but still emerged as ​the largest bloc in parliament.An anti-Netanyahu ⁠bloc led ⁠by ​Eisenkot, an ex-military chief, has refused to join forces with Arab parties who could hand it a majority. But Arab leaders, ‌angered by ⁠policies of Netanyahu and his far-right allies, still nominated Eisenkot during ‌marathon talks with President Isaac ​Herzog. - Reuters