Eisenkot Offers Likud Unity Government Without Right-Wing Bloc

Gadi Eisenkot's negotiation team is set to meet with Likud representatives on Sunday to explore the possibility of forming a unity government. According to a report by Walla, Eisenkot's team will present a proposal for a four-year unity government led by Eisenkot, with the Likud joining but excluding other parties from the right-wing bloc. The proposal does not include an initial rotation of the prime minister position or a shared term.

Eisenkot's camp views the starting point for negotiations as the Likud's recognition of the election results and agreement to join a government headed by Eisenkot. However, political analysts consider these early-stage contacts.

Concurrently, Eisenkot's associates are reportedly planning to first exhaust the option of forming a government with the support of ultra-Orthodox and Arab parties. Only if these efforts reach an impasse will negotiations with the Likud become a more significant pathway.

The meeting follows a conversation between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Eisenkot last Thursday, after which Netanyahu reiterated his call for a unity government, stating that his talk with Eisenkot strengthened his belief in its necessity. Eisenkot, however, dismissed the call as a "spin" and clarified that his conditions include recognition of his principles and a "parting with the extremists."

Eisenkot has also set the vote for the Knesset Speaker on Tuesday as a test of the intentions of the Likud and the Religious Zionism party. He stated that if both parties desire a genuine political partnership, they should support the candidate of the "Change and Correction" parties, MK Matan Kahana. The Yamina party called on the Likud to include MK Elisha Mardan in the meeting, whom Netanyahu mentioned in his call for a unity government.