Eisenkot and Netanyahu Negotiators Meet Amid Coalition Stalemate
Translated & summarized from Vesty by baba
Negotiators from Gadi Eisenkot's and Benjamin Netanyahu's parties met on November 15th to discuss government formation, following Eisenkot's mandate to form a coalition. Yashar proposed Likud join Eisenkot's government without a prime ministerial rotation, a condition Likud rejected, demanding Netanyahu's premiership. Eisenkot's potential partners, including Yair Lapid, oppose Netanyahu's involvement in any capacity. Analysts expect initial talks to be formal, with breakthroughs more likely in direct meetings between Eisenkot and Netanyahu.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Gadi Eisenkot's and Benjamin Netanyahu's party representatives met November 15th to discuss coalition formation.
- Yashar proposed Likud join Eisenkot's government without a prime ministerial rotation.
- Likud rejected Yashar's terms, demanding Netanyahu serve as prime minister.
- Eisenkot's potential partners, including Yair Lapid, oppose Netanyahu's participation.
- Analysts believe breakthroughs are more likely in direct meetings between Eisenkot and Netanyahu.
Representatives from Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party, Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud, and Naftali Bennett's Yahad convened on Sunday, November 15th, in Herzliya to discuss potential government formation. This marks the first negotiation session since the recent elections and Eisenkot's receipt of the mandate to form a government. The talks were initially scheduled for the previous week but were postponed by Eisenkot following a divisive speech by Netanyahu in the Knesset. Bennett's representative, political advisor Shalom Shlomo, who previously served as government secretary and advised Yair Lapid, also attended.
Yashar's proposal, according to Ynet, is for Likud to join a government led by Eisenkot without a rotation of the prime minister position. Yashar is open to other parties from the current government joining, with the exception of Itamar Ben-Gvir's far-right Otzma Yehudit. However, Yashar insists this would be an accession to Eisenkot's coalition, not a power-sharing arrangement or a rotation of the premiership between Eisenkot and Netanyahu.
Likud finds these terms unacceptable, demanding that Netanyahu also serve as prime minister, either through rotation or another agreement. Furthermore, Likud insists that all parties within Netanyahu's bloc, including Otzma Yehudit, must be part of any coalition. Netanyahu had previously proposed a direct meeting with Eisenkot to discuss a unity government "without preliminary conditions," but without offering a rotation or specifying Eisenkot as the first prime minister.
Analysts anticipate the initial meeting of negotiation teams to be largely formal, with Likud unwilling to proceed under Eisenkot's current terms. Eisenkot's immediate focus remains on forming a coalition with the ultra-Orthodox parties. Any significant breakthrough is more likely to occur in a private meeting between Eisenkot and Netanyahu rather than through their representatives.
Partners of Eisenkot, including Yair Lapid and Avigdor Lieberman, have expressed opposition to Netanyahu retaining any role in a future government. They stated that Likud could join their government, but "without Netanyahu." Yisrael Beiteinu's Yair Golan also conveyed his opposition. A particularly sharp statement came from a member of Yisrael Beiteinu, who likened a deal with Netanyahu to dealing with a "Tinder scammer," accusing him of inciting division when strong and seeking "fake unity" when in a weak position.