Eisenkot Seeks Ultra-Orthodox Alliance Amid Likud Stalemate

Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yahad party and tasked with forming Israel's government, held a secret meeting last week with Yaakov Asher, leader of the United Torah Judaism party. This encounter was part of Eisenkot's outreach to ultra-Orthodox parties to explore the possibility of forming a new government. Concurrently, Asher also met with Avigdor Lieberman, head of Yisrael Beiteinu, as negotiations between Yahad and the Likud party appear limited due to fundamental disagreements.

Eisenkot is reportedly trying to exhaust all options for a government that includes the ultra-Orthodox parties. However, reaching an understanding with the Likud seems difficult, as the party refuses to join a government not headed by Benjamin Netanyahu. Yahad, meanwhile, insists on a government led by Eisenkot without a rotation in the prime minister's office.

Asher confirmed that "discussions and meetings with political parties are a natural part of this stage," but declined to confirm or deny specific meetings. United Torah Judaism has formed a unified negotiation team to conduct contacts with various political factions, with current talks described as exploratory and focused on general outlines rather than specifics.

In parallel to the ultra-Orthodox outreach, negotiation teams from Yahad and the Likud are scheduled to meet on Sunday in Herzliya. This marks their first official meeting since the elections. Yahad will be represented by MK Hili Tropper and senior advisor Yoav Horowitz, while the Likud's delegation includes MK Ofir Katz and lawyer Michael Rabello. Eisenkot intends to propose Likud's entry into a government under his leadership, without rotation or power-sharing for the premiership. His party is open to including parties from the current coalition, excluding Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit.

The Likud, however, insists on Netanyahu's participation in the prime ministership, either through a rotation agreement or another formula, and demands the inclusion of all parties in its bloc, including Ben-Gvir's. The upcoming meeting is expected to be a preliminary encounter due to the significant gap between the parties' positions. Any substantial agreement on a unity government might require a private meeting between Netanyahu and Eisenkot.

Leaders of major parties in the bloc opposing Netanyahu, including Yair Lapid, Avigdor Lieberman, and Yair Golan, have informed Eisenkot of their opposition to a government that includes Netanyahu as prime minister or in a leadership role. They stated that the Likud party itself is not rejected but Netanyahu is. MK Yulia Malinowski of Lieberman's party criticized the negotiations with Netanyahu, calling his unity calls a "maneuver" when his power wanes. Netanyahu had invited Eisenkot to direct negotiations "without preconditions," which Eisenkot dismissed as a "ploy" aimed at obstructing his government formation efforts.

Meanwhile, the Knesset is set to vote on Tuesday to replace its current speaker, Amir Ohana of the Likud, with MK Matan Kahana from Yahad. This move by the anti-Netanyahu bloc aims to strengthen its control over parliamentary institutions, independent of government formation talks.