Gadi Eisenkot Begins 28 Day Clock to Form Israeli Government
The former military chief seeks a 61 seat majority by courting Netanyahu allies and Arab parties, a path blocked by internal objections and external diplomatic pressure.
By Tomas Gonzalez ·
Eisenkot now controls a 28 day window to secure the 61 Knesset seats required to form a government. The 66 year old leader of the Yashar party received the mandate from President Isaac Herzog on Sunday. His current bloc holds 48 of the 120 parliamentary seats, while the camp of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds 53. Neither side possesses a majority.
Eisenkot stated that Israel faces a state of emergency and is approaching a point of no return. He told Herzog that a national emergency government would require creative and unconventional political steps. To build a majority, he invited Netanyahu’s Likud party and the far right party of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to join his coalition. He insisted he would serve as prime minister in any such arrangement. My door is open and my hand is extended, wholeheartedly and willingly, to anyone who understands the gravity of this moment, he said.
The path to a majority includes seeking backing from Arab led parties. Eisenkot secured endorsements from both Arab majority lists during consultations with Herzog. These parties made large gains in the October elections and can now act as kingmakers. Eisenkot set conditions for their inclusion, requiring recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and the designation of Hamas as a terrorist organization. His coalition partner, the conservative Yisrael Beiteinu party, has already ruled out sitting with Arab led parties.
International pressure weighs on the negotiations. Eisenkot and Herzog pointed to Israel’s deepening isolation under Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court. In the United States, Democrats swept the midterm elections on Tuesday. They called for reining in Israel following the devastation in Gaza and the Iran war. Eisenkot described the situation as a devastating diplomatic crisis. He said that even Israel’s closest friends and strategic allies believe their relationship with the country must be reassessed.
Netanyahu has alleged the election was stolen by Arab parties. He offered little evidence for this claim. He is expected to pressure Eisenkot by arguing that any alliance with Arab parties would be a betrayal. The Shin Bet security agency opened an investigation into possible foreign interference in the vote. The Central Elections Committee and Herzog maintain the result was valid. Netanyahu proposed a national unity government on Saturday night, but it remains unclear if the rivals can agree on power sharing.
Eisenkot campaigned on equal military service to end draft exemptions for the ultra Orthodox. He promised to crack down on extremist West Bank settlers and condemned recent incidents as Jewish terror. He opposes creating a Palestinian state and vowed to end Hamas rule in Gaza. If Eisenkot fails to secure 61 votes within 28 days, Herzog can grant a 14 day extension. Should no one succeed, Israel will hold fresh elections, a scenario that occurred five times between 2019 and 2022.
Eisenkot served as military chief of staff from 2015 to 2019. He commanded the army during the 2006 war with Hezbollah and devised the Dahiya doctrine. That doctrine vows to use massive force against civilian infrastructure in areas controlled by the Lebanese militant movement. He appeared at the presidential office in a suit and tie rather than his customary all black attire.
