Netanyahu Seeks Broad National Government, Open to Dialogue
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS French by baba
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is calling for a "broad national government" after his bloc won 53 seats, short of the 61 needed to govern. He expressed openness to dialogue with potential partners but rejected relying on Arab parties, accusing them of supporting terrorism. Gadi Eisenkot presented coalition principles including recognizing Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. President Isaac Herzog will begin consultations on Wednesday to assign the task of forming the government.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Benjamin Netanyahu seeks a "broad national government" after his bloc won 53 of 120 seats.
- Netanyahu is open to dialogue but rejects relying on Arab parties, accusing them of supporting terrorism.
- Gadi Eisenkot proposed four principles for coalition formation, including recognizing Israel as a Jewish, democratic state.
- President Isaac Herzog will begin consultations on Wednesday to assign the government formation task.
- The Likud party won 27 seats, while Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party secured 21 seats.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Monday evening for the formation of a "broad national government," stating his readiness to discuss potential coalition partners. His bloc secured 53 out of 120 seats in the recent election, falling short of the majority needed to govern. Netanyahu expressed his desire to "form an expanded government with our partners and any other party that would like to join us, provided that it does not support terrorism," adding that he is "open to dialogue on this subject." He explicitly rejected the possibility of a government relying on Arab parties, accusing Ra'am and the Joint Arab List of "supporting terrorism" and "rejecting the existence of the Jewish state." Netanyahu asserted that a "clear majority of the Jewish public" chose his Likud party as the leading formation and expressed his wish for it to lead the next government. The Likud won 27 seats, followed by Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party with 21 seats. Neither the ruling bloc nor the opposition bloc reached the 61-seat threshold, with the opposition holding 48 seats and Arab parties totaling 19. Following the election, Netanyahu had previously urged the formation of a "strong, right-wing, and national" government, cautioning against alliances dependent on Arab parties. Meanwhile, Gadi Eisenkot outlined four principles for joining a coalition he aims to form. These include recognizing Israel as a Jewish, democratic, liberal, and egalitarian state; adhering to the values of the Declaration of Independence; mandating military, national, or civil service for all citizens; and designating Hamas as a terrorist organization requiring the dismantling of its military capabilities and power in Gaza. Eisenkot stated that "any Knesset member ready to subscribe to these principles is a potential partner for establishing a new government that will be good for Israel." President Isaac Herzog is scheduled to begin consultations with the elected parties on Wednesday to determine who will be tasked with forming the next government.
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