Bennett Backs Eisenkot to Lead Opposition Government

Naftali Bennett, president of the Beyahad party, announced Sunday evening that his party would recommend Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party, to the President of the State as the candidate to form the next government. The decision, according to a party statement, was initiated directly by Bennett, who had pledged throughout the campaign to respect the voters' choice. He spoke with Eisenkot personally to inform him before consultations begin at the presidential residence on Wednesday.

The Yashar party secured 21 seats in the recent election, trailing only the Likud party's 27 seats, while Beyahad won 12 seats. This announcement follows a contentious campaign where the "Change Bloc" struggled to present a unified candidate for prime minister. The five party leaders within the bloc had signed a pre-election pledge not to attack each other but deferred the leadership question until after the vote. Eisenkot, leading Yashar during the campaign, was considered the early favorite to head the bloc.

However, Eisenkot faced open rivalry from Avigdor Lieberman, president of Yisrael Beytenou. Extended negotiations aimed to resolve the deadlock, fueled by concerns that Lieberman might demand to be the first to serve as prime minister and fundamental disagreements over relying on Arab parties for a majority, an option Lieberman categorically rejected.

Bennett's decision marks a significant step toward unifying the opposition behind a single candidate. The focus now shifts to Lieberman, who maintains his refusal to depend on Arab lists, and the other bloc partners, who must now decide whom to recommend to the president.