Influential Rabbi Urges Power-Sharing Between Netanyahu and Eisenkot

Rabbi Moshe Maya, an influential member of the Shas Council of Torah Sages, has called on Gadi Eisenkot to form a national unity government with Benjamin Netanyahu, based on a rotation agreement for the prime minister position. Speaking to the Orthodox newspaper Mishpaha, Maya stated that such a coalition is the only way out of the political deadlock following last week's legislative elections. "The only solution is a government of unity, and this is the true moment of truth for Eisenkot," he declared. Maya urged Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, to avoid an alliance with the "radical left" and instead pursue a deal with Likud. Together, Yashar and Likud hold 48 seats in the Knesset. Including the Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism, along with Religious Zionism, which add 19 seats, this coalition would command a comfortable majority of 67 lawmakers.

The proposal comes as Shas experienced a significant electoral setback, dropping from eleven to six seats, its worst result since 1992. Despite this loss, Shas officially recommended Benjamin Netanyahu to President Isaac Herzog for the task of forming the next government. Maya's appeal suggests a desire among some religious leaders to explore a political formula that unites the two main blocs.

Rabbi Maya also attributed Shas's electoral defeat to a decline in support among traditional voters, criticizing media coverage that opposed the exemption of yeshiva students from military service. "Many people who had voted for Shas in the past believed the poisoned messages of the media against yeshiva students," he said, adding that some traditional right-wing voters shifted their support to Likud.

The initiative occurs amidst complex negotiations for government formation. While Gadi Eisenkot has received more recommendations than Benjamin Netanyahu, divisions among his potential allies complicate the formation of a parliamentary majority. A rotation agreement could theoretically overcome this hurdle, but it would conflict with Eisenkot's commitments not to join a government led by Netanyahu.