Likud Ministers Open to Broad Government Under Former IDF Chief Gadi Eisenkot

Education Minister Yoav Kisch sparked political discussion by not ruling out a broad government led by former IDF Chief of Staff and "Yesh" party leader Gadi Eisenkot. In a Monday interview on Galei Tzahal, Kisch affirmed that Likud intends to form the government with Netanyahu as prime minister but added a notable caveat: if Eisenkot threatens to rely on Arab votes to form a government, Kisch believes such a move would be legitimate, though he noted that currently no one intends to do so.

Kisch's remarks follow similar comments from Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi last week, who said he does not categorically reject sitting in a government headed by Eisenkot. Karhi emphasized that if Eisenkot receives a mandate from the public, Likud should be a strong opposition but acknowledged the difficulty of forming a coalition with those solely focused on opposing Netanyahu. After backlash, Karhi clarified that Likud would only join a government led by Netanyahu.

These statements coincide with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent campaign to establish a "broad national government." Netanyahu declared an end to political boycotts and invited all parties to join, provided they accept key principles: Israel as the Jewish nation-state, self-defense capabilities, economic and military independence, and opposition to a Palestinian state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.

Netanyahu's outreach comes amid polls showing he cannot form a government relying solely on the right-wing and ultra-Orthodox blocs. His call aims to unify the political center and right around a clear national agenda, signaling openness to new coalition possibilities including figures like Eisenkot.