Eisenkot Rules Out Serving Under Netanyahu

Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the "Yamina" party, declared on Wednesday that he will not participate in any government headed by or alternating leadership with current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Eisenkot stated on 103fm radio that such a scenario would be visible to the public. He previously indicated he did not reject the Likud party but would not join a government with Netanyahu due to responsibility for the October 7 failures. Eisenkot asserted that Netanyahu, despite his self-description as a supreme leader, is unfit for any leadership role, even a minor one. He argued that anyone who held a senior military or political position should not continue in leadership. Last month, Eisenkot opposed the idea of alternating prime ministerial terms, telling Kan public radio that it was undemocratic and that a prime minister should be elected for a four-year term to implement plans. He also suggested that Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman were hindering the opposition's chances by not supporting his candidacy for prime minister, believing the opposition bloc should unite behind him as the leader of its largest party. Eisenkot described his recent meeting with Lieberman as positive, stating they clarified issues between them. Following the meeting, Eisenkot posted on X that if "Yamina" did not become the largest party by a significant margin over Likud, Netanyahu would succeed in passing legislation exempting Haredim from military service. Benny Gantz and the leader of the National Unity party, also named Gantz, joined Netanyahu's government after the war on Gaza began in October 2023. They served as observers in the War Cabinet before withdrawing in June 2024, accusing Netanyahu of lacking a plan for the ongoing war and the post-war period in Gaza.