Image source: AFP via Getty Images
Political contacts continue in Israel to form the next government, after elections in which neither of the two main camps was able to achieve the required parliamentary majority.
This comes amid efforts by the leader of the Yashar Party, Gadi Eisenkot, to expand the circle of potential partners, in exchange for the efforts of the outgoing Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to maintain the cohesion of his camp.
Eisenkot met with opposition leader Yair Lapid, while he is expected to meet with Yisrael Beytenu party leader Avigdor Lieberman, to discuss possibilities for cooperation before Israeli President Isaac Herzog begins consultations with the parties on Wednesday.
President Herzog is scheduled to receive the official results of the elections on Wednesday, before beginning his consultations with party representatives to hear their recommendations on the person who should be assigned to form the government.
President Herzog is expected to grant a mandate to the leader of one of the parties to form a government within 28 days starting next Thursday, with the possibility of extending the deadline for an additional 14 days.
Eisenkot, who is 66 years old, set four conditions for potential partners in his government, including: “Recognition of Israel as a Jewish, democratic and liberal state based on equality, adherence to the principles of the Declaration of Independence, imposing military, national or civil service on all citizens, in addition to recognizing Hamas as a terrorist organization and committing to dismantling its military and governmental capabilities in the Gaza Strip.”
Eisenkot said that every Knesset member who accepts these principles can be a partner in the next government, without explicitly excluding the Haredi or Arab parties.
Eisenkot also called for investing in what he described as the parliamentary majority to form an official investigation committee into the events of October 7, 2023, pushing for legislation related to conscription, and replacing the current Knesset Speaker, Amir Ohana.
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In another development, Member of the Knesset from the Joint List, Ahmed Tibi, announced his list’s readiness to facilitate the formation of an alternative government without joining it, stressing that it will not support no-confidence motions that Likud may submit against the next government, and will not take the initiative to dissolve the Knesset, according to Tibi.
Israeli media also reported on informal contacts between representatives of the “Change” camp and the Haredi “United Torah Judaism” party, to discuss possibilities for cooperation, including the scenario of forming a minority government that depends on some parties abstaining from voting.
On the other hand, Netanyahu continues his contacts with his partners in the right-wing camp, including Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, stressing his refusal to form a government that relies on the support of Arab parties that he describes as anti-Zionist.
The Jewish-majority parties opposing Netanyahu won 48 seats, while the United Arab List “Ra'am” and the Joint List (with an Arab majority) combined won 19 seats.
An alliance between these two camps would give the opposition bloc to Netanyahu a comfortable majority of 67 seats, but the idea is opposed by some opposition bloc parties.
The Arab parties officially participated in an Israeli government only once, under the leadership of the prominent leader, Mansour Abbas, but it was a short-lived coalition government: it began in 2021 and ended in 2022.
Mansour Abbas expressed his willingness to repeat this experience.
As for the leader of the Joint List, Youssef Jabareen, he told Agence France-Presse that he is ready to support Eisenkot in Parliament without joining his government, pointing to the war in Gaza, among other reasons.
Eisenkot largely shares views with Netanyahu on security issues, including those related to the Gaza Strip.
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