Israel’s opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, the man officially tasked by President Isaac Herzog with trying to form the country’s next government, has said that he was open to including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his coalition lineup.
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he → task → lineup
In a speech at Sunday’s ceremony in Herzog’s office in Jerusalem, Eisenkot suggested Netanyahu’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was also welcome to join.
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Smotrich → suggest → Jerusalem
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list of 4 items- list 1 of 4Palestinian citizens of Israel put to ‘loyalty test’ after election wins
- list 2 of 4Israel’s president picks Eisenkot over Netanyahu to form next government
- list 3 of 4The
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president → put → government
Can Gadi Eisenkot give the world a different Israel?
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Eisenkot → give → Israel
- list 4 of 4Will Eisenkot be able to form Israel’s next gov’t amid divided opposition?
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Eisenkot → form → opposition
“If members of Likud and the Religious Zionist Party truly believe this is a time for unity, as they told the president, I cannot conceive of any reason why they would not support a government under my leadership and the principles I have presented,” Eisenkot said.
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Eisenkot → believe → leadership
Eisenkot, who ran as Netanyahu’s main rival, has six weeks to form a new government.
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who → run → government
At the ceremony, Eisenkot said he will act in the interests of the public and represent all parts of Israeli society.
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he → say → society
Herzog, meanwhile, warned that the country faced uncertainties after the November 3 midterm elections in the United States, which brought victories for several political figures critical of Israel and the US’s military support.
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which → warn → Israel
“The State of Israel needs a stable government,” Herzog said, pointing to the “new political reality” in the US.
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Herzog → need → US
Eisenkot led Israel’s military from 2015 to 2019 and sat as an observer in Netanyahu’s war cabinet for the first eight months of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which began in October 2023.
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which → lead → October
Despite this, Arab-led parties endorsed Eisenkot for the mandate to replace Netanyahu.
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parties → lead → Netanyahu
In Israel’s October 27 elections, Eisenkot’s four-party alliance won 48 seats, while Netanyahu’s right-wing and religious bloc secured 53, leaving both short of the 61 needed for a parliamentary majority.
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bloc → win → majority
Arab-led parties, representing Palestinian citizens of Israel, won a record 19 seats.
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parties → lead → seats
Eisenkot has ruled out forming a government with the Arab-led parties, which would give him a 67-seat bloc.
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which → rule → bloc
Winning over the two ultra-Orthodox parties, United Torah Judaism and Shas, would give him exactly 61 seats.
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Winning → win → seats
He could also form a government with fewer than 61 seats if he wins a parliamentary confidence vote.
“Netanyahu still has time to derail Gadi Eisenkot’s efforts to form a government and sabotage attempts to gain a vote of confidence,” said Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh, reporting from Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank.
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Odeh → form → Bank
“In the meantime, he remains caretaker prime minister.
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he → remain → meantime
If Eisenkot fails, Netanyahu would be the natural second in line to be tasked with forming a government.
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Netanyahu → fail → government
And if he fails, elections would then be called, and that would still allow Netanyahu to remain as caretaker.
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Netanyahu → fail → caretaker
“Many of Netanyahu’s critics say that is his aim.
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that → say → critics
The big question in Israeli politics now is: does the opposition really want to get rid of Netanyahu?
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opposition → want → Netanyahu
Or is the opposition to Palestinian Israelis in mainstream politics so strong that they’re willing to risk keeping Netanyahu in power by going back to the ballot box?”
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they → ’re → box
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