Gadi Eisenkot, the former head of Israel's armed forces, looks set to be given the opportunity to form a new government and take over from Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister.

That would be a remarkable turn after more than a decade in which Netanyahu has dominated Israeli politics. But turning the chance into a working government is a different matter, and the obstacles in his way are formidable.

The arithmetic from the 27 October election is part of the problem. Arab parties won a record 19 seats, enough to carry the opposition bloc past the 61 seat majority, yet relying on them is politically fraught, with Netanyahu's allies already casting doubt on the legitimacy of the Arab vote. Any coalition would also have to bridge deep differences among parties united mainly by the wish to end Netanyahu's rule.

Eisenkot's military background gives him standing with many voters, but holding together such a varied alliance, while the region remains at war, may prove the hardest mission of his career.