Gadi Eisenkot Secures Knesset Majority Amid Government Deadlock
Gadi Eisenkot won the first parliamentary vote of the 26th Knesset and urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to exercise restraint during the government transition.
The bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot secured a decisive 63-50 victory over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc in the first plenum vote of the 26th Knesset. This victory allowed Eisenkot to determine the composition of the Arrangements Committee, appointing Roy Folkman as chair, Avigdor Liberman as temporary chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and Liran Avisar Ben-Horin as head of the Finance Committee.
While President Isaac Herzog granted Eisenkot the mandate to form a government, a final coalition remains elusive. Eisenkot has secured the support of 67 parliamentarians, including the B’Yachad, Israel Beytenu, and Democrats parties, alongside Arab-Israeli factions Ra’am and the Joint List. However, his requirement for universal military service has created friction with haredi parties, complicating the path to a stable majority.
Amid this transition, Eisenkot sent a letter to Netanyahu urging restraint in national security decisions, arguing that the current government lacks the confidence of the Knesset. He specifically cautioned against "dangerous moves" following reports of a dispute between Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir regarding potential military action in Iran. Eisenkot also petitioned Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara for regular security briefings, claiming a vacuum in oversight. The Prime Minister’s Office rejected these demands, calling the letter a "transparent attempt to politicize" national security.
