Arabic version: نتنياهو يجدد الدعوة إلى حكومة وحدة
According to Al Jazeera, Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has renewed his call for a national unity government with rival Gadi Eisenkot, arguing that only such an administration can guarantee Israel’s security.
In a video statement on Saturday, Netanyahu said his meeting with Eisenkot on Thursday had “only strengthened the conviction that it is essential to form a national unity government”. He said a unity government could “eliminate the Iranian threat once and for all”, claiming Tehran would “not hesitate to use nuclear weapons against us”. Netanyahu urged Eisenkot to meet “in one room, without preconditions”.
Eisenkot, a former army chief, rejected the appeal within minutes, calling it a ploy. He said Netanyahu “knows he lost the election” and added that negotiations were already under way. Neither camp won a majority in the October 27 election: Netanyahu’s right-wing and religious bloc secured 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, while Eisenkot’s four-party bloc won 48. Arab-led parties took a record 19 seats.
President Isaac Herzog tasked Eisenkot with forming a government after 67 lawmakers, including members of Arab-led parties, endorsed him, compared with 46 for Netanyahu. Eisenkot has 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension, and has ruled out including Arab-led parties in his government. His proposed minority “national emergency government” could pass if his bloc’s 48 lawmakers vote in favour and 26 Arab and ultra-Orthodox lawmakers abstain.
Netanyahu has warned that such a government would lead to Israel’s “collapse”. His proposed coalition would include Jewish parties from the centre and right while excluding Arab parties. Eisenkot has called Netanyahu’s campaign against Arab-led parties “racist” and said cooperation with Likud and Religious Zionism would require a “break with the extremists”, including supporters of far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. The Knesset is due to elect its speaker on Tuesday.
