Netanyahu Calls for Unity Government, Demands Likud Lead
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for a unity government, stating he is ready to negotiate but insisting his Likud party must lead. He urged the inclusion of all "national camp" and "Zionist parties" while opposing reliance on Arab parties. This comes as Gadi Eisenkot officially received the mandate to form a government from President Isaac Herzog, with 27 days to succeed. Eisenkot emphasized unity as a core value, not a political tactic.
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- Prime Minister Netanyahu called for a unity government, demanding Likud lead.
- Netanyahu is ready to negotiate with parties but insists on including all "national camp" factions.
- Gadi Eisenkot officially received the mandate to form a government from President Herzog.
- Netanyahu reiterated opposition to a government reliant on Arab parties' support.
- Eisenkot defined unity as a supreme value, not a political bargaining chip.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video statement Sunday evening calling for the formation of a unity government, amid efforts by National Unity Party Chairman Gadi Eisenkot to assemble a coalition. Netanyahu expressed readiness to negotiate with additional parties, stipulating that such a government must include all "national camp" parties, including the ultra-Orthodox factions. "This is the need of the hour, it is simply a necessary need," Netanyahu stated, emphasizing that the government should encompass all parties from the national camp. He also extended an implicit invitation to parties outside his bloc, saying, "I am ready to enter into discussions now with any party that wants to discuss this matter. We will discuss it, God willing, we will do what is necessary, a unity government."
However, Netanyahu made it clear he has no intention of relinquishing the premiership. He asserted that the Likud party, as the largest faction, should naturally lead the next government, directly addressing Eisenkot by stating, "The one who should lead this government naturally is the largest party, and the Likud under my leadership received the most votes, a quarter of a million more votes than the next party." The Prime Minister did not mention the possibility of a rotation in leadership.
Netanyahu reiterated his opposition to a government reliant on the support of Arab parties, advocating instead for a government comprising all "Zionist parties." "We must include all Zionist parties, I am not disqualifying anyone and no one should disqualify. Enough with boycotts, we need to join forces for the great challenges ahead," he declared.
These remarks follow Eisenkot's official receipt of the mandate to form a government from President Isaac Herzog on Sunday. Eisenkot has 27 days to complete the task. In his speech at the President's Residence, Eisenkot also called on all Knesset factions to join the government he would form, defining unity not as a political tool but as a supreme value. He added that if Likud and the Religious Zionism party genuinely believe in a unity government, as they stated to the President, he expects their support for a government led by him and based on his principles.
