Israel’s former military chief Gadi Eisenkot was set on Sunday to be given the task of forming a government. This gives him weeks to cobble together a coalition to replace Benjamin Netanyahu, the country’s longest-serving prime minister. Eisenkot, a 66-year-old political novice, has vowed to bridge Israel’s deep polarization under Netanyahu.
Eisenkot was due to meet President Isaac Herzog, who will formally give him the mandate to form a government with an initial deadline of 28 days. Born to a family of working-class Moroccan immigrants, Eisenkot would be the first Sephardic prime minister in a country long dominated by an Ashkenazi elite with ties to Europe.
Netanyahu has been prime minister on and off for nearly two decades. He has led the war on Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran since the October 7, 2023 attacks. He lost support in last month’s election, but no side claimed an outright majority. In consultations last week with Herzog, Eisenkot received recommendations from parties accounting for 67 lawmakers, against 46 for Netanyahu.
The vote count included Israeli Arabs, whose seat haul surged to a historic high on anger over Netanyahu’s government. That administration includes far-right firebrands who have openly sought to marginalize the community. Avigdor Liberman, a former Netanyahu aide turned sharp critic who shares hawkish views, has been adamant against any alliance with Israeli Arabs.
Taking back one of his signature campaign pledges, Liberman voiced an openness to an alliance with ultra-Orthodox Jews. Their almost singular priority is ensuring that they remain exempt from military service. The exemption for the ultra-Orthodox has been a source of growing resentment for many Israelis as reservists fight on multiple tours of duty.
Liberman said Sunday he still backed conscription for all Israelis. He said he had to make difficult decisions for the higher priority of ousting Netanyahu, who faces corruption charges that could land him in jail if he loses power. He remained adamant that he would never ally with Israeli Arabs. Writing on X, Liberman stated that he would not lend a hand to the establishment of such a government.
Eisenkot has called for a national emergency government that would remove Netanyahu, describing him as a fundamental threat to the very existence of Israeli democracy. He has ruled out a unity government with Netanyahu, who has repeatedly called for a broad coalition with himself at the top.
Eisenkot appears to be suggesting that he is willing to start off with a minority government, relying on outside votes from Israeli-Arab parties, while still working to find a stable government with majority support. Assaf Shapira, a political expert at the Israel Democracy Institute, said that Eisenkot would face an especially fragile government if it only has 48 lawmakers.
Eisenkot has vowed to repair Israel’s international reputation and put an end to rampant violence against Palestinians by extremist West Bank settlers supported by Netanyahu’s government. He has warned Netanyahu he does not have the mandate for another attack on Iran but has also largely backed his war decisions.
In Tel Aviv, educational technology worker Neri Bar-On said he expected Eisenkot to succeed in forming a government. The country is facing a massive internal conflict, and even if Eisenkot manages to form a government, it will not solve the underlying issues, Bar-On added.
