Trump Envoys Discuss National Unity Government With Israeli Leaders

Representatives of U.S. President Donald Trump have discussed the possibility of forming a national unity government in Israel with Israeli officials, potentially including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party. The Washington Post reported that this idea has generated internal disagreements within the Trump administration itself, with some advisors reportedly questioning the wisdom of supporting such a scenario. A Likud representative, speaking anonymously, suggested that Eisenkot lacks Netanyahu's decisiveness, a point the source claimed Trump understands. The U.S. president's primary goal, according to the source, is the swift establishment of a stable Israeli government.

Sources cited by The Washington Post indicated that Netanyahu himself had previously suggested to American officials that Eisenkot might be a suitable coalition partner if hostilities between Israel and Iran were to resume. Netanyahu reportedly also conveyed to U.S. and European representatives that a coalition with Eisenkot would aim for a more moderate political stance. However, these discussions are described as exploratory rather than indicative of any concrete agreement.

Amid these discussions, Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of the Otzma Yehudit party, accused Netanyahu and the Likud party of attempting to undermine his political standing ahead of elections. Ben-Gvir claimed the Prime Minister's office assured European countries that he would be excluded from the next government. He further alleged that Likud is actively working to prevent Otzma Yehudit from crossing the electoral threshold for the Knesset. The Jerusalem Post noted Ben-Gvir's assertion that Netanyahu informed him of a decision not to reappoint him as National Security Minister. Ben-Gvir interpreted these actions as a deliberate effort to form a national unity government without his party's involvement.