Eisenkot Vows to Form New Israeli Government After Election Results
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yisrael! party, has pledged to form a new Israeli government after his party secured 21 seats in the recent elections. He met with other party leaders to discuss coalition possibilities, while also addressing concerns about foreign interference and accusing Netanyahu's Likud of attempting to delegitimize the results. Eisenkot outlined legislative priorities for the incoming Knesset, including universal conscription and an inquiry into the October 7th events.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Gadi Eisenkot vows to form a new Israeli government, rejecting a unity government after election results.
- Eisenkot's Yisrael! party won 21 seats, with his bloc totaling 48 mandates.
- He met with Naftali Bennett and Yair Golan to discuss coalition-building strategies.
- Eisenkot addressed foreign interference concerns and accused Netanyahu of delegitimizing election results.
- Key legislative priorities include universal conscription and an inquiry into the October 7th massacre.
Following the near-complete tally of election votes, Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yisrael! party, announced his intention to form a new and "good" government for Israel, seemingly ruling out a unity government. "I commit to working hard to be worthy of your trust," Eisenkot stated, thanking his supporters and expressing hope for the future. He did not specify the composition of the government he plans to establish.
Eisenkot's party is projected to receive the first mandate from President Yitzhak Herzog, potentially due to recommendations from Arab parties. However, his bloc faces internal disagreements regarding reliance on the Joint List and Ra'am. The near-final results show Yisrael! securing 21 seats, with Bayit Yehudi (Naftali Bennett) at 12, Democrats at 8, and Yisrael Beiteinu at 7, totaling 48 seats for Eisenkot's bloc. The Arab parties collectively hold 19 seats (Joint List 11, Ra'am 8), while Netanyahu's bloc has 53 seats.
Several scenarios are being considered, including a unity government with Likud, a government supported by or relying on Arab parties, or a coalition with the ultra-Orthodox parties. All these options would require Eisenkot or his party members to break prior commitments to voters.
Eisenkot met with Naftali Bennett, chairman of Bayit Yehudi, at Bennett's home in Ra'anana to discuss forming a government quickly. He also met earlier with Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats. Despite these discussions, consensus within Eisenkot's bloc on relying on Arab parties remains elusive.
Addressing suspicions of foreign interference in the elections, Eisenkot stated he would not allow deviations from the Knesset's swearing-in date of November 10. He emphasized the need for professional investigation without political involvement, calling foreign interference, especially from a state that funds terror, "unacceptable and serious." Eisenkot accused Likud and Netanyahu of orchestrating a campaign to delegitimize the election results because they lost and lack a majority, asserting that Israel operates under the rule of law.
Eisenkot also outlined plans for the upcoming Knesset session, including legislation for universal conscription, a state inquiry commission for the October 7 massacre, and budget mechanism reforms. He pledged to protect the interests of those who work, enlist, and uphold the values of Israel's Declaration of Independence. He called for calm and restraint from all parties during this complex political period.
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