Opposition Scrambles to Form Government as Pressure Mounts to Keep Israel a Jewish State
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Israeli opposition leaders, led by Gadi Eisenkot, are seeking to form a government quickly to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but internal disagreements persist over whether to work with Arab parties or stick with Orthodox Jewish allies.
Israeli opposition leaders met for the first time since last week's inconclusive election, discussing how to rapidly form a government aimed at removing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In a joint statement, the heads of five opposition parties said they are committed to preventing another round of elections and stressed the need for a government that recognizes Israel as a Jewish state and denounces Hamas as a terrorist organization, conditions that could exclude some Arab lawmakers from any governing arrangement.
Reports indicate that the opposition leaders are leaning toward forming alliances with Orthodox Jewish parties rather than Arab parties, even though the latter could supply the numbers for a majority. The Arab-majority parties won 19 seats in the 120-member parliament, reflecting dissatisfaction with Netanyahu's government. Eisenkot's opposition bloc won 48 seats, while Netanyahu's coalition secured 53, including 27 from his Likud party.
Naftali Bennett, a former prime minister and member of the opposition, emphasized the urgency of the situation, saying, "We don't have time -- we must act with great urgency." Public opinion polls show a split among Jewish Israeli opposition supporters over the inclusion of Arab parties, with right-wing constituents overwhelmingly opposed.
Yousef Jabareen, leader of the largest Arab-majority party, urged the opposition to accept the political reality and cooperate to remove Netanyahu. Meanwhile, Yair Golan, head of the left-wing Democrats party, voiced support for an alliance with Arab parties, highlighting the need to address issues such as crime in Arab communities. However, Avigdor Liberman, a right-wing member of Eisenkot's bloc, strongly opposed including Arab parties, despite a shared desire to avoid new elections.
Netanyahu, who has been criticized for his divisive rhetoric and corruption charges, called for a "broad national government" but ruled out coalitions with Arab parties, alleging that they support terrorism. Opposition leaders have shown no willingness to unite with him, reflecting the continuing tensions in Israeli politics.