Netanyahu May Use Iran Strike to Force Unity Government Post-Election
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might use a potential strike on Iran to pressure opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot into a unity government if elections lack a clear winner. If no majority is secured, Eisenkot could form a minority government or join Netanyahu. Netanyahu could initiate hostilities with Iran to justify a broad unity government, recalling the post-October 7 coalition. Eisenkot and Benny Gantz left Netanyahu's government in June 2024.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Benjamin Netanyahu may use an Iran strike to force Gadi Eisenkot into a unity government post-election.
- A lack of a clear election winner could lead Netanyahu to renew hostilities, potentially against Iran.
- Gadi Eisenkot would face a choice between a minority government or a unity government with Netanyahu.
- Netanyahu formed a unity government with Eisenkot and Gantz after the October 7 Hamas attack.
- Eisenkot and Gantz left Netanyahu's government in June 2024 over war strategy disagreements.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may leverage a potential military strike against Iran to pressure opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot into joining a unity government if the upcoming elections do not yield a clear victor, according to political sources. While an attack on Iran before the elections appears less likely, a scenario without a decisive outcome could prompt Netanyahu to renew hostilities.
If elections result in a narrow advantage for Netanyahu's bloc but fall short of the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority, Eisenkot would face a choice. He could form a minority government, potentially with external support from Arab parties or defectors from Netanyahu's camp, or agree to a unity government with Netanyahu, possibly including a rotation agreement for the premiership.
Political sources suggest that if the vote is inconclusive, Eisenkot might take time to consider his options. Netanyahu could exploit this period of uncertainty to initiate an attack on Iran, thereby drawing Israel into renewed hostilities. This action could bolster Netanyahu's argument for a broad unity government, similar to the one formed after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
Eisenkot and Benny Gantz joined Netanyahu's government on October 12, 2023, five days after the Hamas attack, amid public pressure for national unity. They departed the government in June 2024, citing Netanyahu's failure to advance the conclusion of the Gaza war and secure the release of Israeli hostages.
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