Israeli opposition leaders unite behind Gadi Eisenkot for new government
Opposition parties in Israel agreed to recommend former military chief Gadi Eisenkot as prime minister, while remaining divided over cooperation with Arab-led parties.
Israel's opposition bloc announced on Tuesday that its five party leaders will recommend former military chief Gadi Eisenkot to President Isaac Herzog as the next prime minister, aiming to replace the current government as quickly as possible. The meeting in Herzliya, north of Tel Aviv, marked the first joint gathering of the opposition since the October 27 election, which left no bloc with a clear majority in the 120-seat Knesset.
In a joint statement, the leaders said they would immediately begin drafting policy guidelines and coalition agreements, describing the intended administration as a “national emergency government.” The statement added that all parties in the new government must recognise Israel as a Jewish state and label Hamas a terrorist organization, criteria that could limit participation by some Arab-led parties.
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett emphasized the urgency of forming a new government, telling reporters, “We don’t have time – we must act with great urgency.” Yair Golan of the Democratic Party was the only opposition leader to openly support an alliance with Arab-led parties, arguing that excluding them would be discriminatory. He met with leaders of Arab-led parties before the talks and pledged to address high crime rates in Palestinian-citizen communities.
Arab-led parties hold 19 seats in the Knesset, making them potential king-makers for any coalition that needs the 61-seat majority. Yousef Jabareen, head of the largest Arab-led party, called on the opposition to accept “political reality” and join forces to remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu, whose Likud party remains the largest with 27 seats, has called for a “broad national government” under his leadership and ruled out cooperation with Arab-majority lists, accusing them of supporting terrorism and denying the Jewish state. Herzog is scheduled to hold consultations with party leaders on Wednesday and Thursday, after which Eisenkot could emerge as the leading candidate if he secures sufficient backing, including from Arab lawmakers.