Party leaders from both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc and the opposition continued private discussions on Sunday amid an ongoing political deadlock following Tuesday’s Knesset elections, in which neither side secured the 61 seats required for a majority.

The B’Yachad party, led by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, announced it would recommend Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, to President Isaac Herzog as its candidate to form the next government. This recommendation comes ahead of President Herzog’s scheduled consultations with party representatives starting Wednesday, a procedural step required by law before the president assigns the mandate to form a governing coalition.

Previously, Eisenkot had advocated for the opposition bloc to select the leader of its largest party as the candidate for prime minister. However, no consensus on this arrangement has been reached among opposition leaders, including Bennett, Avigdor Liberman of Yisrael Beytenu, and Yair Golan of The Democrats.

In announcing its support, B’Yachad emphasized that Bennett had committed throughout the election campaign to honoring the will of the voters. The party confirmed that Bennett had communicated his decision to Eisenkot prior to publicly endorsing him.

Despite reports last week that Liberman had been reluctant to engage with other opposition figures, he reportedly met with Eisenkot on Saturday evening, according to a spokesperson for the Yashar party. The discussions between opposition leaders continue as they explore potential paths to break the impasse.

President Herzog is expected to begin consultations with parties on Wednesday, following the election deadlock, to determine which candidate has the best chance of forming a viable government. The political situation remains fluid, with key figures urging flexibility as coalition negotiations unfold.