Joint List to Recommend Eisenkot for Prime Minister, Blocking Netanyahu

The Joint List announced Thursday it will recommend Gadi Eisenkot for prime minister to President Isaac Herzog, aiming to prevent Benjamin Netanyahu from returning to power. The decision, made unanimously after consultations, stems from the public's desire to block Netanyahu's government and the Joint List's commitment to that goal. The party stated that while they are determined to oust Netanyahu, the opposition camp led by Eisenkot has not yet shown sufficient readiness to confront Netanyahu's approach, his incitement against Arab citizens, and the questioning of their political legitimacy. The Joint List believes recommending Eisenkot, who has already secured more recommendations than Netanyahu, will widen the gap between them and strengthen the chances of replacing the government. They also see it as a step to thwart attempts to form a national unity government that would keep Netanyahu in power, a scenario they claim is being pursued with support from influential Israeli, regional, and international forces. A delegation from the Joint List, including MKs Yousef Jabareen, Ahmad Tibi, Bakar Awwad, Ofer Cassif, and the Member of Knesset, is scheduled to meet with the president at 4:40 PM.