Who is Gadi Eisenkot? The ex-army chief taking on Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel election
Could Israel face another election
The inconclusive October 27 election failed to give any party a clear parliamentary majority. But if he fails within the 42-day deadline, the incumbent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could get another chance to form a government. Eisenkot’s Yashar party and its potential allies have 48 seats in the 120-member parliament. support from Israel’s two Arab parties, which together hold 19 seats, could help his bloc reach 67 While his seats fall short of the 61-seat majority mark required. Their combined strength stands at 48 seats. Reversing that position could prove difficult, particularly after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack hardened attitudes towards Israel’s Arab minority. Ra’am joined former prime minister Naftali Bennett’s government in 2021. Another option is to seek support from Israel’s two ultra-Orthodox parties, which together hold 13 seats. Their backing could take Eisenkot’s bloc to the 61-seat majority needed to form a government. Eisenkot has up to 42 days to form a government. In the run-up to the 2022 election, Netanyahu managed to destabilise the government he was opposing by drawing support away from its ranks. Likud emerged as the largest party in the October 27 election with 27 seats. A grouping involving these parties would command 67 seats, giving it a parliamentary majority. The process has a deadline of around 100 days. Earlier reporting noted: Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Saturday tasked opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming the next government, giving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ’s main challenger the first opportunity to assemble a coalition after the October 27 election produced no clear parliamentary majority. Earlier reporting noted: Eisenkot, a former military chief and head of the Yashar party, secured the backing of representatives from parties accounting for 67 lawmakers during consultations with Herzog. Netanyahu, whose Likud party emerged as the largest in parliament with 27 seats, received recommendations from factions representing 46 lawmakers. His broader bloc holds 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while Eisenkot’s opposition bloc has 48. A majority requires 61 seats.
Because of disagreements over the occupied West Bank, however, that government collapsed after 18 months, partly. However, with his coalition falling short of the numbers needed to govern, Eisenkot faces several challenges. He has options laid out to form a minority government. He can secure support from Arab parties, reach an understanding with ultra-Orthodox factions or explore a broader unity arrangement. The parties could support his government from outside without formally joining the coalition, allowing Eisenkot to attempt a minority government. One possibility is for Eisenkot to bring together his natural allies, including the centre-right Together party, The Democrats and Avigdor Lieberman’s right-wing Israel Our Home. The two Arab parties, Ra’am and the Joint List, could then provide outside support. Both have endorsed Eisenkot to form the next government and expressed willingness to work with his broader camp to prevent Netanyahu’s return to power. However, this arrangement faces political hurdles. Eisenkot had pledged during his campaign not to include Arab parties in his government. Lieberman has also repeatedly ruled out forming a minority government with Arab parties. So far, only The Democrats, a centre-left party, have publicly supported their inclusion. Netanyahu has also focused his campaign on delegitimising any government that relies on Arab support. There is a precedent for such an arrangement. Bennett, who now heads the Together party, is among Eisenkot’s potential partners. However, reaching an agreement will not be easy. The main sticking point is military service exemptions traditionally granted to ultra-Orthodox seminary students. The exemptions have drawn criticism from many Israelis who believe the burden of military service is unfairly placed on the wider population. Eisenkot and his allies, particularly Lieberman, have strongly opposed these exemptions. The two ultra-Orthodox parties have also taken different positions following the election. United Torah Judaism declined to endorse any candidate, while Shas backed Netanyahu. If he cannot secure the necessary support, Herzog is likely to invite Netanyahu to make another attempt. He has used this strategy before. However, the opposition bloc at the time had a much narrower lead, meaning fewer defections were needed to bring it down. If Netanyahu gets another opportunity, he would need to find enough support to rebuild a parliamentary majority. If Eisenkot cannot form a government with Arab or ultra-Orthodox support, another possibility is a unity arrangement involving his Yashar party, Together, Israel Our Home and Netanyahu’s Likud. However, this appears unlikely for now. Eisenkot and his partners would have to abandon their central campaign promise of removing Netanyahu from power. Netanyahu, in turn, would likely have to distance himself from his traditional far-right and ultra-Orthodox allies. Still, prolonged coalition negotiations or renewed fighting with Iran could push the rival camps towards a unity arrangement. If both Eisenkot and Netanyahu fail to form a government, parliament can nominate another candidate. If no candidate succeeds, Israel will have to hold another election. Herzog has already warned against another vote. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.
Earlier reporting noted: Israeli president Herzog picks Netanyahu’s rival Gadi Eisenkot to form next government . Gadi Eisenkot, a former Israeli military chief, has been given the first opportunity to form the next government after President Isaac Herzog invited him on Saturday. However, Lieberman signalled some flexibility on Friday, saying he was open to a compromise. On Wednesday, he said everything must be done to avoid fresh elections and urged political parties to approach consultations with an open mind.
Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist bloc has been reduced from its original 64 seats to 53.
“You cannot have it all”, he told supporters. Despite this, the prime minister could try to weaken the opposition by persuading lawmakers from rival parties to defect and join his camp.