Feiglin Open to Serving Under Eisenkot, Calls Netanyahu Not a True Right-Winger

Moshe Feiglin, a candidate for the Religious Zionism-Zeut party, indicated during coalition talks in August that he would not rule out serving under Gadi Eisenkot as prime minister, according to Kan News. Feiglin reportedly told participants in the negotiations, which were aimed at uniting parties with Yaron Zelekha, that he would consider Eisenkot as premier, perhaps in exchange for the defense portfolio. He also stated that Benjamin Netanyahu is "not really a right-wing man."

Zelekha was reportedly pleased with Feiglin's response, as he sought to keep options open for future governments. However, the talks collapsed shortly thereafter for other reasons. Feiglin ultimately signed a technical merger agreement with Bezalel Smotrich's party, allowing him to operate as an independent faction in the next Knesset. This agreement, reportedly at Smotrich's insistence due to a lack of trust in Feiglin, includes a clause requiring support for Netanyahu as prime minister, though it is not legally binding and does not apply after the stage of recommending a candidate to the president.

A statement from the Zeut party clarified that during negotiations with Zelekha, various hypothetical scenarios were explored. In the context of forming a broad government with the Likud, Feiglin explained that if he served as defense minister and implemented his policies of "conquest, expulsion, and settlement," he would have no objection to a rotation where Eisenkot served as prime minister for part of the term, similar to a scenario Netanyahu himself recently agreed to.

The party further claimed that Zelekha, who they stated called Feiglin "too right-wing," was the one who ended the negotiations. They attributed this to Feiglin's "resolute and aggressive stance regarding rebellion in the Arab sector and the security danger in hospitals." The Zeut party expressed disappointment that Zelekha allegedly secretly recorded a negotiation partner and is now disseminating "half-truths and manipulations" to harm Feiglin. The Economic Party declined to comment on the negotiations with Feiglin.