Eisenkot tipped to seek Israel government with backing of Arab lists

Israel's largest Arab list on Thursday said it would back Gadi Eisenkot to form the next government, bolstering his chances of being picked over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who lost the support of an allied religious party. President Isaac Herzog was holding a second day of consultations with political parties after the October 27 election, in which neither Netanyahu -- a polarising right-winger who has led Israel through three years of war -- nor Eisenkot -- a former military chief promising to restore national unity -- secured enough votes for a majority.