Israel's political shake-up enters new phase as former PM plays kingmaker — and deadline looms

Israel's newly elected parliament was sworn in Tuesday, marking the beginning of a political transition that could end Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's long tenure in power. Despite the opposition's parliamentary gains, the country remains without a new government, and negotiations to form one face significant obstacles.

At the center of those negotiations is former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot, who was tasked by President Isaac Herzog on Sunday with assembling Israel's next governing coalition after 67 lawmakers recommended him for the position, compared with 46 who supported Netanyahu.

Although Eisenkot's Yashar party won 21 seats in the Oct. 27 election, he is working closely with former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, whose B'Yachad party, formed with former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, secured another 12 seats.

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The two parties have not merged, but their cooperation effectively gives Eisenkot the negotiating backing of 33 lawmakers — more than Netanyahu's Likud, which remains the largest individual party in the Knesset with 27 seats.

A source with knowledge of discussions within the bloc seeking to replace Netanyahu told Fox News Digital that Bennett has decided to act as a political kingmaker, supporting Eisenkot's leadership bid rather than seeking the premiership himself.

Bennett intends to coordinate closely with Eisenkot throughout the negotiations while preserving his party's independent leadership and parliamentary identity, according to the source.

The arrangement does not create a new 33-seat party or guarantee that the two leaders will agree on every coalition arrangement. But it places Eisenkot in a stronger negotiating position than his party's 21 seats alone would suggest.

During Tuesday's swearing-in of the new Knesset, Netanyahu called for a national unity government, citing Israel's security challenges, but also sharply attacked the Arab parties, accusing them of supporting terrorism and warning against forming a government dependent on their votes.

Bennett, normally an outspoken political figure who has largely avoided the spotlight during the coalition negotiations, broke his relative silence to repeatedly confront Netanyahu during the speech.

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"What about your Qatari advisors?" Bennett shouted, referring to the investigation into allegations that members of Netanyahu's inner circle had financial ties to Qatar while working for the prime minister. Bennett also demanded to know why Netanyahu had not established a state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and challenged him to declare Qatar an enemy state.

The confrontation disrupted Netanyahu's address, with other lawmakers joining the shouting as the prime minister continued warning against a government supported by Arab parties.

Eisenkot responded with an unusually forceful condemnation. "I sat and listened to the outgoing prime minister’s delusional, divisive, hate-filled and shameful speech," Eisenkot said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital on Nov. 10. "I am now even more convinced that he is unfit to remain in office for even one more minute."

Eisenkot subsequently instructed his negotiating team to cancel a meeting scheduled with Likud representatives for Wednesday.

In a separate statement, Yashar said the canceled meeting had been intended to explore coalition possibilities based on Eisenkot's four governing principles, but Netanyahu's speech made the planned discussions untenable.

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Netanyahu, however, continued advocating for a unity government on Wednesday, arguing that Israel's security challenges demanded cooperation across political divisions, according to The Times of Israel.

Despite the public confrontation, a national unity government remains one of the most tangible scenarios under consideration, according to a source with knowledge of negotiations within the bloc seeking to replace Netanyahu.

The source told Fox News Digital that such an arrangement would depend on Netanyahu agreeing not to serve as prime minister first, potentially allowing Eisenkot to lead the government under a rotation agreement while Netanyahu assumes the position of alternate prime minister.

Eisenkot's allies are keeping several options open, according to the source, including agreements with ultra-Orthodox or Arab parties, partly to strengthen their negotiating position and increase pressure on Netanyahu to accept a power-sharing arrangement.

But whether Netanyahu would agree to relinquish the premiership, even temporarily, remains unclear. The source emphasized that negotiations are fluid and that no agreement has been reached.

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The official election results left Netanyahu's bloc with 53 seats, while the four parties seeking to replace him secured 48. The remaining 19 seats went to two Arab-led parties: the Joint List, with 11, and Ra'am, led by Mansour Abbas, with eight.

While 67 lawmakers supported Eisenkot receiving the mandate to form a government, that support does not automatically translate into a workable governing coalition.

Herzog acknowledged the challenge during consultations with parliamentary leaders, citing disagreements and mutual political vetoes that could prevent either side from forming a stable government.

Eisenkot's principal partners are Bennett, Lapid, Yair Golan of the Democrats and Avigdor Liberman of Yisrael Beytenu. Together, their parties hold 48 seats, 13 short of the 61 generally needed for a parliamentary majority.

Eisenkot has outlined four principles for potential coalition partners: recognizing Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, accepting the values of the Declaration of Independence, supporting military or civilian national service for all, and recognizing Hamas as a terrorist organization whose military and governing capabilities must be dismantled.

But those conditions have created a difficult political equation.

The ultra-Orthodox parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, collectively hold 13 seats — precisely the number Eisenkot's existing four-party bloc would need to reach 61.

However, both parties have historically opposed broadening military conscription to include ultra-Orthodox religious students, directly conflicting with Eisenkot's demand for national service.

At a Nov. 10 faction meeting, Eisenkot reiterated that he would not abandon the principle of universal military, national or civilian service, according to The Times of Israel.

The disagreement became even more visible Wednesday, when Bennett's party submitted legislation proposing expanded benefits for soldiers and reservists, while United Torah Judaism introduced bills seeking to preserve military draft exemptions for religious students, The Times of Israel reported Tuesday.

The Arab parties present a different challenge.

While Ra'am's eight lawmakers could help Eisenkot establish a government, Liberman has rejected relying on Arab parties, and the political acceptability of such an arrangement remains disputed within the bloc.

A source within Eisenkot's party told Fox News Digital that the party has not categorically ruled out cooperation with Ra'am, provided its leadership accepts the four governing principles.

The source acknowledged that negotiations remain difficult and that multiple coalition arrangements are still under consideration.

One option involves securing the support of ultra-Orthodox parties. Another would require cooperation with Arab lawmakers, potentially including support from outside the government. A broader national unity arrangement involving Likud has also been discussed.

Each scenario presents political obstacles, leaving Eisenkot facing the difficult task of assembling a coalition among parties with sharply different views on religion, national identity and security policy.

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Even without a new government, Eisenkot and his allies have begun exercising their influence in the newly sworn-in parliament.

In a Monday statement provided to Fox News Digital, Yashar announced that it had submitted legislation to establish a state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and introduce term limits for the prime minister.

The party also submitted proposals to repeal legislation associated with Netanyahu's judicial overhaul, including changes to the judiciary, the attorney general's authority, the police and the circumstances under which a prime minister can be declared unable to serve.

A vote to replace current Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, a Netanyahu ally, is scheduled for Nov. 17.

The appointments could give Eisenkot's allies considerable influence over Israel's legislative agenda before they secure control of the government.

Beyond the domestic political negotiations, Eisenkot has also sought to reassure American leaders about the future of U.S.-Israel relations.

In a Nov. 4 public statement addressed to Americans and the international community, Eisenkot pledged to restore bipartisan cooperation with Washington and deepen Israel's relationship with the United States.

"The bond between Israel and the United States is more than an alliance between governments," Eisenkot wrote. "It is a partnership between peoples, built over generations, sustained by shared democratic values, and strengthened by the conviction that our nations are more secure and more prosperous when we stand together."

He also directly addressed his willingness to work with President Donald Trump.

"I look forward to working closely and constructively with President Trump and his administration, whose friendship and commitment to Israel we deeply value," Eisenkot said.

The message comes amid heightened debate in Washington over the future of U.S. support for Israel, following the American midterm elections and disagreements over the country's regional policies.

A source within Eisenkot's party told Fox News Digital that rebuilding relations with the United States, including with both major American political parties, would be among the priorities of a new government.

Eisenkot has also emphasized his intention to pursue regional cooperation and diplomatic opportunities while maintaining Israel's security commitments.

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Under Israeli law, Eisenkot has 28 days from Nov. 8 to form a government, giving him until Dec. 6 to reach an agreement. Herzog can grant an extension of up to 14 additional days, potentially pushing the deadline to Dec. 20.

If Eisenkot fails, the president may give another lawmaker the opportunity to form a government. Additional parliamentary procedures would follow if a second attempt also fails, potentially culminating in another national election.

The outcome could determine not only who becomes Israel's next prime minister, but also the country's direction on military conscription, judicial reform, accountability for October 7 and its relations with Washington.

For now, Israel is experiencing an unusual political transition: a newly elected parliament is beginning to challenge the outgoing government's agenda, while the leader tasked with forming its replacement is still negotiating over who will join him.

Eisenkot has the presidential mandate, Bennett's backing and the support of a parliamentary majority willing to recommend him. What he does not yet have is an agreement among those parties on how to govern together.