The Washington Post's Steve Hendrix reports on the high-stakes choice facing Israeli President Isaac Herzog, whose mostly ceremonial job gives him the power to grant the mandate for coalition-building after an election that left Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc at 53 seats and Gadi Eisenkot's opposition at 48, with no side holding the 61 needed for a majority and Herzog's pick almost certain to be one of the two leaders. Analysts say the Joint List's endorsement gives Eisenkot the most backing for the mandate, an official says Netanyahu's camp does not care if Israel returns to elections since it remains in a caretaker government, and a pending pardon request from Netanyahu — pushed by President Donald Trump — hangs nearby, though Herzog's office says it is separate from the mandate.