Eisenkot Faces Difficult Choices Forming Government

By Вести-Ynet

Translated & summarized from Vesty by baba

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Gadi Eisenkot is set to receive a mandate to form Israel's next government on November 8, facing a difficult 28-day deadline. He is exploring several challenging coalition scenarios, including a minority government with ultra-Orthodox and Arab support, or a narrow 48-seat government. A unity government appears unlikely due to deep divisions. Analysts suggest Eisenkot may ultimately fail, leading the mandate to return to Prime Minister Netanyahu.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

Gadi Eisenkot is expected to receive a mandate to form Israel's government on November 8.
Eisenkot faces a 28-day deadline to form a coalition, with potential for a 14-day extension.
Potential coalition options include a minority government with ultra-Orthodox and Arab support.
Key partners like Avigdor Lieberman oppose cooperation with Arab parties.
A unity government is currently unlikely due to disagreements over leadership rotation.
The most realistic scenario is Eisenkot's failure, returning the mandate to Netanyahu.

Eisenkot Faces Difficult Choices Forming Government — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the National Unity Party, is expected to receive a presidential mandate to form a government on November 8, following recommendations from 67 Knesset members. He will then have 28 days, potentially extendable by 14, to assemble a coalition, a task widely considered challenging. Eisenkot's initial efforts will focus on negotiating with leaders of the "Change Bloc," including Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, and Yair Golan, with coalition talks likely to take place at the Dan Accadia Hotel in Herzliya.

Several potential scenarios for government formation are being considered, each with significant hurdles. One option is a minority government with the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism inside and Ra'am providing external support, potentially forming a 63-seat majority. However, Lieberman has stated he opposes any cooperation with Arab parties, even for external support, and the "Change Bloc" is committed to passing a new conscription law, which could conflict with ultra-Orthodox demands.

Another scenario involves a narrow 48-seat minority government, intended as a first step towards future expansion. This approach faces opposition from Bennett and Lieberman, and a government with such a slim margin could be unstable. Eisenkot may be counting on Netanyahu's influence diminishing if he is no longer prime minister, potentially easing pressure on ultra-Orthodox parties like Shas.

A unity government is currently unlikely, as neither bloc shows a strong desire for it, particularly due to disagreements over who would serve first in a rotation of the prime minister role. While some Likud members have called for unity, they also stipulated conditions excluding parties deemed supportive of terrorism. Eisenkot himself has expressed disinterest in prolonged unity government talks.

The most realistic scenario, according to the analysis, is that Eisenkot may fail to form a government. If he is unsuccessful, the mandate would likely pass to Prime Minister Netanyahu, who would then face even more difficult coalition negotiations.