President Herzog begins government formation talks amid security alert and CEC approval

Formal consultations between President Isaac Herzog and Knesset faction representatives commenced on Wednesday at the President's Residence. Under the law, the President is mandated to meet with party leaders before assigning the task of forming a new government. The first delegation to arrive was from the far-right Religious Zionist Party, which is led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

The meeting began with a delay after a security screening machine at the residence triggered an alert during the inspection of visitors. A statement from the President's Residence confirmed that entry to the compound was temporarily suspended to clarify the situation. Police bomb disposal experts were dispatched to inspect the equipment, with the matter being examined in coordination with relevant authorities.

Despite the security pause, the Religious Zionist Party and its partner Zehut moved forward with their recommendations. The delegation, which included Minister for Settlement and National Missions Orit Strock, Itamar Eitam, and Zvika Mor, formally recommended Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form the next government. This aligns with the party's prior announcement of its intent to support Netanyahu ahead of the official consultations.

The start of the talks coincided with the Central Election Commission's approval of the election results. The CEC ratified the figures delivered to Herzog at noon after determining there was no evidence of compromised election integrity. This decision came while the Shin Bet continues an investigation into suspicions that foreign entities, including Qatar and Turkey, may have funneled money into Israel to influence voting in Arab communities.

Herzog has invited faction representatives in ascending order of their Knesset seats. The schedule began with the Religious Zionism Party, Shas, Yisrael Beytenu, and Zehut. The consultations are expected to continue with other parties on Thursday and extend into the evening.

Outside the residence, a small group of demonstrators gathered to protest just as the consultations were set to begin. Their presence added to the atmosphere of anticipation and scrutiny surrounding the political process.

Political analysts suggest that the current deadlock could lead to another election, although coalition negotiations may still yield an agreement. Potential outcomes include a unity government between Netanyahu and members of Gadi Eisenkot's bloc, or the formation of a minority government. The distribution of seats plays a critical role in these scenarios.

The opposition bloc has secured 48 seats. If the Arab parties' 19 recommendations are included, Eisenkot would command a total of 67 seats. This numerical advantage could prompt Herzog to grant Eisenkot the mandate to form a government over Netanyahu.

On Sunday, Herzog called on Israel's political leaders to accept the election results and demonstrate flexibility during coalition negotiations. He warned against political entrenchment, cautioning that inflexibility could force the country into another electoral cycle.