Netanyahu urges unity government as Eisenkot rejects proposal

Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for a national unity government, saying only such a coalition can guarantee Israel’s security.

In a video statement on Saturday, Netanyahu said a meeting with rival Gadi Eisenkot on Thursday “only strengthened the conviction that it is essential to form a national unity government”. He added that a unity government could “eliminate the Iranian threat once and for all”, warning that Tehran would “not hesitate to use nuclear weapons against us”.

Eisenkot, the former army chief tasked by President Isaac Herzog with forming a government, dismissed Netanyahu’s appeal as a “ploy”. He said Netanyahu “knows he lost the election” and that “these tricks don’t work on me”.

The October 27 election left no bloc with a majority in the 120‑seat Knesset: Netanyahu’s right‑wing and religious bloc won 53 seats, Eisenkot’s four‑party bloc 48 seats, and Arab‑led parties a record 19 seats. Herzog appointed Eisenkot after 67 lawmakers backed him, compared with 46 for Netanyahu.

Eisenkot has 28 days, with a possible 14‑day extension, to form a government and has ruled out including Arab‑led parties. He proposes a minority “national emergency government” where his 48 lawmakers would be supported by abstentions from Arab and ultra‑Orthodox MPs, allowing approval without an absolute majority.

Netanyahu warned that a government without his bloc would lead to Israel’s “collapse”. He says his version of a unity government would include centre and right‑wing Jewish parties but exclude Arab parties, accusing the latter of “stealing” the election. Eisenkot labelled Netanyahu’s campaign “racist” and said he could work with Likud members and Religious Zionism if they break with far‑right extremists.

The Knesset will elect its speaker on Tuesday, with the current post held by Netanyahu ally Amir Ohana and the opposition proposing former officer Matan Kahana.

Source: Al Jazeera. Photo: Lajos Kristóf Kántor / Pexels.