With Israel’s elections behind it, the country now moves into the coalition-building stage. The first stop on the road to a new government is the round of consultations at the President’s Residence, where each party appears before President Isaac Herzog and recommends one of the candidates for prime minister. The candidate who receives the most recommendations and has a path to forming a government is handed the mandate, along with a set number of days to negotiate a coalition.

That process gets underway this week at the President’s Residence, and the ones expected to tip the scales are the Chareidi MKs of United Torah Judaism and Shas, who together hold 13 seats in the incoming Knesset.

The Chareidi parties are now weighing whom to recommend: Netanyahu or Eisenkot. They have committed not to join any government unless a law regulating Torah study is in place.

Tonight, the Degel Hatorah MKs met with Degel Hatorah leader, Slabodka Rosh Yeshivah, Hagaon Reb Moshe Hillel Hirsch Shlita, and Degel Hatorah leader, Slabodka Rosh Yeshivah, Hagaon Reb Dov Lando Shlita. However, Belaaz has learned that the issue did not come up at the meeting.

The question is expected to be decided toward the end of the week, before the MKs head to the President’s Residence.