India, Nov. 9 -- Gadi Eisenkot, the former Israeli military chief who led the campaign to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has been given the first chance to form Israel's next government, but his bloc is 13 seats short of a majority and he will need the support of parties his allies have opposed.

President Isaac Herzog formally handed Eisenkot the mandate on November 8, after consultations with representatives of the parties elected to the 120-member Knesset, Israel's parliament. The October 27 election had left neither Eisenkot's bloc nor Netanyahu's alliance with enough seats to govern.

According to Herzog's office, lawmakers representing 67 seats recommended Eisenkot, while representatives of 46 seats backed Netanyahu. A p...