Israeli opposition bloc rushes to assemble new government as dispute over Arab party inclusion exposes deep exclusions
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Leaders of Israel's opposition coalition say they want to move quickly to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but the effort is marked by internal divisions over whether Arab parties should be included at all.
Leaders of the opposition bloc headed by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot met in Herzliya and pledged to form a new government as soon as possible, presenting the plan as a way to block yet another election. In a joint statement they restated four benchmarks set by Eisenkot, including recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and condemnation of Hamas, conditions that would in practice narrow the field and could shut out some Arab lawmakers.
The five party heads said they had agreed on the need to create a "Zionist government" based on those principles. While the bloc holds 48 seats, Netanyahu's Likud-led camp retains 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, meaning neither side commands a majority.
Right-leaning former prime minister Naftali Bennett told reporters, "We don't have time -- we must act with great urgency," and said he would back Eisenkot. The only opposition leader openly supporting an alliance with Arab parties is Yair Golan of the Democrats, who denounced the exclusion of the Arab minority as discriminatory and pledged to tackle crime and promote prosperity in Arab communities.
Avigdor Liberman, a right-wing member of the bloc, opposed including Arab parties but also said he wanted to avoid a new election. Netanyahu, who called for a "broad national government" led by his Likud party, ruled out coalitions with Arab-majority lists, accusing them of supporting terrorism and denying Israel's Jewish character.
Arab-Israeli party leaders have condemned the October 7 Hamas attack, though they differ on recognizing Israel as a Jewish state. Merav Svirsky, whose family was killed in the attack, presented a petition urging Eisenkot not to join a coalition with Netanyahu, saying any cooperation would legitimize the perpetrators.