On Nov. 4, the next big step in Israel’s selection of the next Prime Minister occurs. As reported in the Times of Israel, Israeli President Isaac Herzog explained today at a state memorial for Chaim Weizmann: “This coming Wednesday, I will receive the official election results from the Central Elections Committee chairman... Afterward, I will begin consultations at the President’s Residence. The President’s Residence will be wide open to all factions and parties.” After those consultations, he will select a potential prime minister, one who has up to four weeks to pull together a government.

Herzog said he hoped that, after the candidates had, during the campaign, “climbed high trees,” or taken hardline electioneering positions, they would now come with an “open mind,” as “the elections are over, the election results are an established fact—they are reality. And this is the time to tell all the leaders: stop climbing trees, and face reality. This week at the President’s Residence, we will try to put up ladders” so that they could climb down, so as “to enable the leaders to face reality, in a measured and careful manner.” He was emphatic that such mature behavior was necessary to avoid the senselessness of a ‘do-over’ election.