Eisenkot Floats Minority Government with Ra’am and UTJ Support
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Gadi Eisenkot is exploring a minority government backed by Ra’am and abstentions from United Torah Judaism as part of an effort to unseat Prime Minister Netanyahu after Israel's inconclusive election.
Gadi Eisenkot is examining the possibility of establishing a minority government that would rely on support from Ra’am and abstentions from United Torah Judaism, as reported by Ynet. This arrangement could allow Eisenkot's bloc, which holds 48 seats, to reach 49 votes with the backing of Ra’am lawmaker Yoav Segalovitz. If United Torah Judaism withholds its seven votes from Prime Minister Netanyahu, his opposing bloc would fall from 53 seats to 46.
The proposal also expects the Joint List to abstain from voting against the government. Even so, Eisenkot's bloc is not seeking to negotiate with the Joint List, instead focusing on whether it would help facilitate Netanyahu's replacement. Ahmad Tibi, a lawmaker from the Joint List, has said the party intends to help remove Netanyahu's government.
The plan remains at an exploratory stage and would require major compromises among parties with sharply different priorities. Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman has openly opposed any government dependent on Arab or ultra-Orthodox parties, creating a major obstacle for the proposed coalition.
Eisenkot's team is reportedly assessing whether United Torah Judaism could support the government from outside the coalition until legislation on military service exemptions is passed, after which it might formally join. But such an agreement may be difficult, since conscription exemptions are a central demand of the ultra-Orthodox party, while Eisenkot's willingness to make concessions remains unclear.
Ra’am’s demands also remain on the table, with party leader Mansour Abbas seeking inclusion in the coalition even if Segalovitz is the only representative in the government. The minority government option could also be used as leverage in talks with Netanyahu over a possible unity government, though many within Eisenkot's bloc oppose that path.
The parties seeking to replace Netanyahu have not yet agreed on a candidate for Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana's position, with Eisenkot arguing that his faction should receive the role while Lieberman is pushing Yisrael Beytenu lawmaker Oded Forer. In response to the reports, Eisenkot’s Yashar party reiterated its commitment to replacing the current government but declined to comment on internal discussions, saying that various reports do not necessarily reflect its position.