Israel’s caretaker prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has once again called for the establishment of a national unity government with his political opponent, Gadi Eisenkot, who immediately dismissed the proposal as a deceptive tactic.
This latest exchange occurs as Eisenkot is in the process of negotiating a government coalition, following his appointment to the premiership the previous Sunday.
In a video statement, Netanyahu asserted that his meeting with Eisenkot on Thursday only solidified his conviction that a unity government is essential to safeguard Israel’s security, claiming such a coalition could “eliminate the Iranian threat once and for all.”
He further elaborated that this government would consist of parties recognizing Israel as a state for the Jewish people.
Netanyahu emphasized that the administration would address critical security challenges, particularly Iran, which he alleged would “not hesitate to use nuclear weapons against us.”
The outgoing prime minister warned against Eisenkot’s plan to form a minority government, described as a “national emergency government.”
Under this plan, the 48 lawmakers in Eisenkot’s bloc would vote in favor of his government, against the 46 supporters of Netanyahu. The remaining 26 members of parliament from Arab and ultra-Orthodox parties could abstain, potentially allowing the government to be approved without an absolute majority in the 120-seat Knesset.
“Instead of attempting to form a weak and dangerous government, let us gather in one room without preconditions, set aside our disagreements and boycotts, and reach agreements for the security and future of the state,” Netanyahu urged.
Minutes later, Eisenkot responded by stating that Netanyahu “knows he lost the election,” accusing him of playing “tricks” by appealing for a unity government.
“Netanyahu calls for negotiations while they are already underway; he claims to want unity but sows division and stokes tensions as if there were no tomorrow,” the former army chief remarked, adding that “these tricks don’t work on me.”
– ‘Break with extremists’ –
Eisenkot was designated on Sunday to form a new government within 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension.
Negotiations are expected to be challenging, especially given Netanyahu’s campaign to discredit Arab-Israeli parties, which secured a record number of seats in the election.
Netanyahu’s proposed unity government would include key Jewish parties from the center to the right, while excluding Arab parties.
Eisenkot has indicated openness to forming a government with members of Netanyahu’s Likud party and outgoing Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism, provided their commitment to unity is “sincere.”
However, a unity government involving Netanyahu himself remains unlikely, particularly after Eisenkot condemned his “racist” campaign against Arab parties on Friday.
Eisenkot reiterated on Saturday his demand for a “break with extremists,” notably supporters of far-right minister Itamar Ben Gvir, as a prerequisite for participation in any government under his leadership.
A key point of contention is the election of the Knesset speaker, a position currently held by Amir Ohana, a close Netanyahu ally. The opposition has nominated Matan Kahana, a former Israeli army officer and fifth on Eisenkot’s list, to replace him.
“If Likud and its allies are genuinely seeking a sincere political partnership, as they claim, they must allow the democratic process to proceed normally and instruct their members to support the appointment of Matan Kahana,” Eisenkot stated.