Eisenkot Rules Out Serving Under Netanyahu, Even in Rotation
Translated & summarized from Hamal by baba
Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, vowed not to serve under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, even in a rotation, or he would resign. Eisenkot's party leads in recent polls with 23 mandates, ahead of Likud's 19. He previously served in Netanyahu's emergency government but left in June 2024, criticizing the war's management. This new commitment sets a clear boundary for potential post-election coalition building.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Gadi Eisenkot will not serve under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, even in a rotation.
- Eisenkot vowed to resign within an hour if he breaks his commitment not to serve under Netanyahu.
- Eisenkot's Yisrael Beiteinu party leads recent polls with 23 mandates.
- Eisenkot and Benny Gantz left Netanyahu's emergency government in June 2024.
- Eisenkot previously served in Netanyahu's government after October 7, 2023.
Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, declared on Wednesday that he will not serve in a government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, even under a rotation agreement for the premiership. Eisenkot stated on 103FM radio that if he were to break this commitment, he would resign from his position within an hour. "I unequivocally commit that I will not sit under Netanyahu, not even in rotation. And if it happens, you will see, I will resign an hour after that," Eisenkot said.
These remarks come amid the ongoing election campaign and discussions about forming the next government. Eisenkot clarified that he rejects not only serving in a Netanyahu-led government but also any arrangement where they would share the prime minister role through rotation. Eisenkot previously served in Netanyahu's government, joining the emergency government in October 2023 following the outbreak of the war and serving as an observer in the War Cabinet. He and Benny Gantz left the government in June 2024, citing Netanyahu's lack of a plan for the continuation of the war and the day after in the Gaza Strip.
Since then, Eisenkot has intensified his criticism of Netanyahu. He later parted ways with Gantz and established the Yisrael Beiteinu party. Now, ahead of the elections, he is making it clear that, unlike his decision to join the emergency government after October 7, he will not agree to serve under Netanyahu in any scenario this time, including a rotation. A Walla poll published Tuesday showed Eisenkot's party receiving 23 mandates, compared to 19 for Likud and 14 for Naftali Bennett's party. Despite the poll lead, the question of government formation remains open, and Eisenkot's commitment draws a clear line regarding the possibility of cooperation with Netanyahu after the elections.
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