Israeli Opposition Backs Gadi Eisenkot to Oust Netanyahu
Opposition leaders agreed to recommend Gadi Eisenkot to form a national emergency government after elections left Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu without a parliamentary majority.
Israeli opposition leaders met in Herzliya on November 3 to coordinate the removal of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the October 27 elections. Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 of 120 seats, falling short of the 61-seat majority required to govern. In response, a coalition of opposition parties—including Yashar, B'Yachad, Yisrael Beytenu, and the Democrats—agreed to recommend Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot to form a national emergency government.
Netanyahu has called for a broad national government under his own leadership, asserting that the Jewish public chose Likud as the largest party. He has explicitly rejected cooperation with Arab parties, accusing them of supporting terrorism and claiming without evidence that they stole the election through fraud and foreign funding. These claims were dismissed by the Central Elections Committee and Shin Bet.
Eisenkot, whose bloc holds 48 seats, has ruled out serving under Netanyahu, even if requested by U.S. President Donald Trump. He proposed a broad Zionist government based on four principles, including the recognition of Israel as a Jewish, democratic, liberal, and egalitarian state and the commitment to destroy Hamas. While the opposition and Arab parties together hold a 67-seat majority, the bloc remains divided; Yair Golan supports partnering with Arab lawmakers, while Avigdor Lieberman firmly opposes such a coalition.
President Isaac Herzog urged factions to find creative solutions to avoid repeat elections and is scheduled to begin consultations on November 4 and 5 to designate a lawmaker to form the government. The new Knesset is set to be sworn in on November 10.
