Eisenkot Rejects Netanyahu Coalition, Citing Internal Sovereignty
The Yashar party leader says he will decline a post-election alliance with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu even if President Donald Trump requests it, as blocs struggle to secure a parliamentary majority.
By Priya Marino ·
Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar party, stated on Monday that he will not serve in a government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to reports from the public broadcaster KAN. Eisenkot made the declaration during a closed-door meeting with party colleagues. He specified that he would refuse the position even if United States President Donald Trump personally invited him to join the administration.
Eisenkot explained his stance to the group, saying, “I will not sit in a government led by Netanyahu.” He indicated a willingness to meet with the American president if invited, but he emphasized the need to keep the decision an internal Israeli matter. “If Trump calls me, I will respect the president and come, but I will insist that this is an internal Israeli matter and will avoid interference,” he told the attendees.
These remarks follow reports that Trump surrogates spoke with Israeli officials regarding a potential unity government. A Likud official told The Washington Post that the White House desires a stable and reliable government formed quickly after the election. The same report noted that Netanyahu told US officials he viewed Eisenkot as the best partner if hostilities with Iran resumed. Netanyahu added that he would seek a more moderate coalition in such a partnership.
The election results left both political blocs without a majority in the 120-member Knesset. Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats, while the opposition parties won 48. The Arab parties obtained 19 seats, which could provide Eisenkot with the support of 67 lawmakers. Leaders of opposition parties, including Naftali Bennett, Yair Golan, and Avigdor Liberman, announced they would recommend Eisenkot to President Isaac Herzog as the candidate to form a government.
However, the formation process faces internal friction. Avigdor Liberman has ruled out joining a government that relies on Arab party support. He has also excluded a unity government with Netanyahu. The opposition leaders, along with Eisenkot and outgoing leader Yair Lapid, are scheduled to hold their first joint meeting on Tuesday. This gathering will mark their initial coordination efforts since the vote concluded.
The political landscape remains divided as the blocs work to bridge the gap between their current seat counts and the 61 seats required for a majority. The upcoming meeting will determine whether the opposition can present a unified front to the President. Eisenkot’s rejection of a Netanyahu-led coalition sets the stage for these negotiations, with the Arab parties holding the balance of power in the Knesset.
