Gadi Eisenkot, Israel’s opposition leader, faces a difficult attempt to unseat caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the country’s newly elected parliament is sworn in, with Arab-led parties emerging as potential kingmakers in coalition negotiations.
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Eisenkot, a former army chief and leader of the centrist Yashar party, was tasked by President Isaac Herzog on Sunday with forming the next government after securing the support of 67 members of the 120-seat Knesset. Netanyahu received backing from 46 lawmakers.
Despite the initial show of support, Eisenkot’s path to power remains uncertain. His four-party bloc won 48 seats in last month’s election, against 53 for Netanyahu’s bloc, leaving neither side with the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority.
Eisenkot has 28 days to assemble a coalition, with the possibility of a two-week extension. Until a new government is formed, Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, will remain in office in a caretaker capacity.
The election, widely viewed as a referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership, has produced a fragmented parliament and increased the influence of Arab-led parties. The United Arab List and the Joint List won a combined 19 seats, their strongest showing to date, following a rise in turnout among Arab voters.
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Their support could prove decisive in determining who governs, although bringing them into a coalition would create political difficulties for both major blocs.
Addressing the country after receiving the mandate, Eisenkot called for a “national emergency government”, urging parties to put aside ideological differences to end Netanyahu’s tenure.
Forming such an administration, he said, would “require creative and unconventional political steps”.
Eisenkot set out four conditions for parties and lawmakers seeking to join his proposed government: recognition of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state; acceptance of the values of its Declaration of Independence; support for mandatory military, national or civilian service for all citizens, including communities currently exempt; and recognition of Hamas as a terrorist organisation, alongside a commitment to dismantling its military and governing capabilities.
Those conditions could complicate negotiations with several potential partners.
The question of military service for ultra-Orthodox Jewish men was a major issue during the election campaign. The United Torah Judaism and Shas parties, which won a combined 13 seats, oppose efforts to end exemptions for men engaged in full-time religious study. However, parties in Eisenkot’s bloc campaigned for changes to the existing arrangement.
The Arab-led parties also face difficulties with his proposed conditions. Both the United Arab List and the Joint List have emphasised equal civic and national rights for Arab citizens, who make up about 20% of Israel’s population. Most Arab citizens are not required to serve in the military, while neither party has publicly recognised Hamas as a terrorist organisation.
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The United Arab List, which secured eight seats, has indicated it is willing to participate in an Eisenkot-led coalition. The Joint List, with 11 seats, has offered to support such a government from outside the coalition.
But even that arrangement may not be enough. Avigdor Lieberman, whose Yisrael Beiteinu party won seven seats, has refused to join a minority government that depends on Arab lawmakers for parliamentary support. Eisenkot would therefore need to convince other partners to accept an arrangement that could expose the government to frequent parliamentary challenges.
The ultra-Orthodox parties could also become part of the negotiations, but their likely demand for concessions on military service exemptions may be unacceptable to parties in Eisenkot’s bloc.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, has continued to push for a national unity government under his leadership. In a video statement on Monday, he said any Zionist party, including those currently in opposition, could join such an administration.
He also warned against a government that depended on Arab parties, referring to them as “the Islamists”.
“You cannot form a government with Hamas supporters,” Netanyahu said.
The newly elected Knesset is also set for a significant change in its composition, with almost half of its members having no experience in the previous parliament. The increased representation of Arab-led parties marks another notable shift in the political balance.
The negotiations will determine whether Eisenkot can translate his presidential mandate and initial parliamentary backing into a governing majority, or whether Netanyahu can retain power through a broader alliance. With both blocs short of the numbers needed to govern alone, the positions of smaller parties and Arab lawmakers are likely to shape Israel’s next government.
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Faith Omoboye is a foreign affairs correspondent with background in History and International relations. Her work focuses on African politics, diplomacy, and global governance.
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