Netanyahu again seeks unity government despite mandate denial

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is once again pushing for a unity government, despite opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot being granted a mandate to form a coalition, according to wire reports. Netanyahu's video message on social media, which bypassed President Isaac Herzog's formal acknowledgment, highlighted his opposition to forming a government with Arab-Israeli parties, claiming they are linked to Hamas.

However, Eisenkot's bloc secured a majority of recommendations from party talks with President Herzog, enabling him to rely on Arab-majority parties that gained 19 seats in the recent elections. Netanyahu's stance against an Arab-Israeli government and accusations of election fraud have been met with denial by party leaders. The opposition faces internal divisions over whether to join Netanyahu's proposed unity government, with Avigdor Liberman, a key critic of Netanyahu, expressing his opposition to partnering with Israeli-Arabs but meeting Eisenkot in a public display of unity.

Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot are vying for leadership of a national-unity government, while promising to remain in charge. Eisenkot has previously labeled Netanyahu as dangerous and unfit to lead, citing his failure to prevent the 2023 Hamas attack, his divisive nature, and corruption allegations.