Gadi Eisenkot Rules Out Ra'am Party from Future Government

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the "Yash!" party, stated in an interview on "Meet the Press" that the Ra'am party will not be part of any future government he leads. He outlined three core principles for any potential coalition partner, including the recognition of Hamas as a terrorist organization that must be destroyed. Eisenkot also discussed his party's ethical code, emphasizing accountability for its members.

Eisenkot expressed his ambition for "Yash!" to become the largest party within the "change bloc" of opposition parties, aiming for 63-65 Knesset seats. He believes that a strong showing by his party would consolidate the opposition and lead to victory in the upcoming elections. He also addressed the issue of Qatari funding to Gaza, intelligence warnings prior to October 7th, and war plans concerning Lebanon.

Regarding coalition dynamics, Eisenkot suggested that if his party emerges as the largest, former Prime Minister Bennett would likely recommend him to form a government. He acknowledged internal criticisms within the bloc but stressed a shared goal of defeating Prime Minister Netanyahu. Eisenkot also criticized Netanyahu's leadership, calling him a "pathological liar" and suggesting his political survival is tied to prolonging the war.

Eisenkot elaborated on his stance regarding potential coalition partners, particularly Arab and ultra-Orthodox parties. He reiterated that Ra'am, led by Mansour Abbas, would not be included due to their refusal to accept his core principles, specifically the recognition of Hamas as a terrorist entity. He also touched upon past decisions regarding Qatari money transfers to Gaza, suggesting that a failure to halt transfers to Hamas's military wing warranted investigation.

In discussing war strategy, Eisenkot revealed that elaborate plans for Lebanon, including a large-scale operation against Hezbollah, were prepared but not implemented by Netanyahu. He also criticized the handling of intelligence warnings prior to the October 7th Hamas attack and the ongoing war in Gaza, stating that the war's objectives have not been met and that Netanyahu's claims of victory are misleading.