Gadi Eisenkot received the first chance to form a government on Nov. 8. He has 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension, to put together 61 seats. The road to a majority runs through the charedi parties.
Shas holds six seats and United Torah Judaism seven. Eisenkot's allies have discussed building a coalition that includes UTJ and relies on the Arab party Ra'am abstaining in a confidence vote. Avigdor Liberman, whose party insists on a government that does not rely on Arab parties, has said he would help bring the charedim in.
UTJ did not recommend anyone to President Herzog, and has told Eisenkot's camp it is willing to talk, but only if the draft issue is settled first. A Hamodia editorial this week said a signed promise alone would not be enough, because past commitments have not held. Yitzchak Goldknopf of the Ger chassidim is described as the leading voice within UTJ for joining. Netanyahu's office is reportedly calling UTJ's lawmakers one by one to keep them in his bloc.
Shas is watching and waiting. Shas recommended Netanyahu to the president. A member of its Council of Torah Sages said there is no reason to rule out talks with Eisenkot, and Jerusalem Post reporting says Shas could join if the status of yeshiva students is resolved, but will not move before UTJ does.
One reported plan would have an Eisenkot government sworn in with charedi support from outside the coalition, with UTJ and possibly Shas joining formally only after a draft-exemption law passes. Eisenkot has said the opposition bloc will not give up on charedi conscription, which sets up the central clash of the talks.
If the gap is not bridged by early December, Israel could face another round of coalition deadlock.