Broken promises or new elections? Netanyahu, Eisenkot face coalition dilemma
Eisenkot could command a 67-seat majority with the Arab parties, but three of his bloc’s four parties explicitly ruled that out.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival Gadi Eisenkot must break promises to their voters if they wish to lead Israel's next government, according to the latest election results. Both Netanyahu's Likud and Eisenkot's Yashar party received more votes than the other nine parties that met the threshold for joining the new parliament. However, neither bloc secured the 61 seats needed for a governing majority in the 120-seat Knesset.
For Eisenkot, three major issues are likely to complicate coalition negotiations: aligning with Arab parties, mandatory military service for Haredi men, and a unity government with Netanyahu. He and his Yashar party secured 48 seats, while the Arab parties garnered 48 seats as well. Eisenkot has ruled out forming a government with the Arab parties due to his stance that the coalition would not be legitimate. Similarly, his allies in the bloc have also vowed not to cooperate with Arab parties.
The bloc could potentially form a government with the Arab parties, Ra'am, and the Joint List, but this would require them to support a coalition that excludes Netanyahu, which conflicts with their campaign promises. Netayahu, on the other hand, faces an equally challenging path to forming a coalition, with his Likud party securing 53 seats, falling short of the 61-seat majority needed.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
