Divided Israelis agree: Forming next government won't be easy

Across Israel people are divided over President Herzog’s decision to pick Gadi Eisenkot to lead country’s next government. 

The move was a blow to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who lost his parliamentary majority in last month’s election. 

But one thing everyone can agree on is that it forming a new government won’t be easy. 

"I don't know what's going to be, but I want to give a blessing that there should be a new, a new understanding, a new mindset in Israel," says Jerusalem resident Nachman Horowitz.

"No matter what the government is, no matter what it is, that we should be able to look at one another, be able to respect one another, and that should be instead of focusing on a new government, it should be a new mentality, be able to look at every single person in Israel and be able to come to a new place of respect, of understanding. And that's the biggest thing that I hope will come with no matter what the political situation is.”

Eisenkot didn’t win a majority either. Arab-led parties meanwhile made historic gains leaving them as potential but politically complicated kingmakers.

"What are the challenges you need to overcome? Wow, there are many," says Anny Soronow, another Jerusalem resident.

"First of all, security. Second of all, to protect democracy. Third of all, to reverse the judicial revolution that (Benjamin Netanyahu) Bibi tried to do and then try to work with the with the one Arab party that will join the government hopefully. I have no problem with the Arabs being integrated into the government.”

Eisenkot has six weeks to form a new coalition. It’s a challenging task in a deeply divided country reeling from the 2023 Hamas attacks and three years of war in Gaza and beyond.