By Staff, Agencies 

“Israel’s” former military chief Gadi Eisenkot started the tough task of forming a government on Sunday, reaching out to Benjamin Netanyahu’s allies as he said the veteran prime minister had brought the entity to a historic crisis.

Eisenkot, 66, the leader of the “Yashar” party, who has vowed to bridge “Israel’s” deep polarization under Netanyahu, formally received a mandate from the entity’s president, Isaac Herzog, who gave him 28 days to form a government despite his bloc lacking a clear majority.

“We are in a state of emergency, approaching a point of no return for ‘Israel’,” said Eisenkot, who had traded his usual all black for a suit and tie at a ceremony at the “presidential” office. “We must form a ‘national’ emergency government. This will require creative and unconventional political steps.”

Eisenkot faces significant challenges on the road to becoming prime minister. He has three options: a power-sharing agreement with Netanyahu, support from Arab-led parties – something several members of his bloc do not support – or an agreement with the ultra-Orthodox parties, which demand military exemptions for their community.

Eisenkot and Herzog acknowledged “Israel’s” growing isolation under Netanyahu, who is wanted by the international criminal court.

Eisenkot said: “We are in the midst of a devastating diplomatic crisis. Even our closest friends and strategic allies are saying their relationship with ‘Israel’ must be reassessed.”

He appealed to Netanyahu’s “Likud” party as well as the far-right party of the finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, to join him – but only with himself as prime minister.

“My door is open and my hand is extended, wholeheartedly and willingly, to anyone who understands the gravity of this moment,” he said.

Should Eisenkot succeed in forming a coalition, he would take over as prime minister from Netanyahu, “Israel’s” longest-serving premier.