Israel's new Knesset to convene as Eisenkot seeks coalition amid Netanyahu's minority
The 120-seat parliament will be sworn in on Tuesday, with neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot holding a clear majority, prompting Eisenkot to begin coalition talks.
President Isaac Herzog is scheduled to address the swearing-in ceremony for Israel's new 120-seat parliament at 4:00 pm GMT on Tuesday. Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing bloc nor the opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot commands a majority in the incoming Knesset.
Eisenkot received the initial mandate from Herzog to form a government and has 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension, to assemble a coalition that reaches the 61-vote threshold. The opposition plans to use its legislative influence to advance priorities such as establishing a commission to examine security lapses that preceded the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.
The opposition has announced its candidate for speaker, former senior military officer Matan Kahana, and the right-wing opposition leader Avigdor Lieberman is expected to be nominated as chair of the foreign affairs and defence committee. Lieberman has indicated he will not support an alliance with Arab-Israeli parties, instead proposing a partnership with ultra-Orthodox parties, despite his past criticism of their exemption from mandatory military service.
Eisenkot's bloc holds 48 seats, short of a majority, but could reach the required 61 votes with the support of the 19 Arab-Israeli lawmakers, who achieved a record number of seats, or the 13 seats held by two ultra-Orthodox parties if they break from Netanyahu's coalition. Any such alliance is expected to be fragile, with potential objections from Arab-Israeli members if further military actions in Gaza are pursued.
Eisenkot has largely endorsed Netanyahu's war strategy while pledging to curb extremist settler activity in the West Bank.