Eisenkot faces tough odds in quest to form Israeli coalition

Former Israeli general Gadi Eisenkot faces a daunting political test as he tries to cobble together a coalition from a divided opposition while luring allies away from Benjamin Netanyahu, a master political tactician who remains a formidable force. Israeli President Isaac Herzog tasked Eisenkot with forming the next government on Sunday after he secured the endorsement of 67 members of the Knesset, Israel’s newly elected parliament, compared with 46 for Netanyahu. Yet there’s a significant gap between Eisenkot’s sweeping majority in party recommendations and his ability to translate those numbers into a functioning coalition because some of those key endorsements come from Israeli Arab and ultra-Orthodox parties. “We are in a state of emergency, approaching a point of no return for Israel,” Eisenkot said at a ceremony at the president’s residence on Sunday, citing the country’s unresolved wars and looming diplomatic crisis. “We must form a national emergency government and this will require creative and unconventional political steps,” he added. Comparisons have been drawn between Eisenkot’s bid to unseat Netanyahu and Peter Magyar’s landmark defeat of Viktor Orban in Hungary. Both Netanyahu and Orban ruled for more than 15 years, forged close ties as Israel faced deepening international isolation, and drew criticism for attempting to weaken judicial independence and free media to consolidate power. Yet the political realities in the two countries are starkly different. In Hungary, Magyar’s Tisza Party secured a two-thirds parliamentary majority outright, bypassing coalition bargaining and allowing him to swear in a government within weeks. In Israel, the Oct. 27 election left both Eisenkot and Netanyahu short of the 61 seats needed for a stable coalition. Eisenkot, who has no experience navigating coalition negotiations in Israel’s fragmented political landscape, must expand the opposition’s 48 seats beyond Netanyahu’s 53-seat bloc. That would require bringing in one or both ultra-Orthodox parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, despite their opposition to mandatory military service for ultra-Orthodox men — a policy Eisenkot’s camp has vowed to enforce. Alternatively, he could rely on Israeli Arab parties, whose positions on recognizing Israel as a Jewish state and designating Hamas a terrorist organization have fueled resistance among most Jewish parties. “Eisenkot genuinely believes there is an urgent need to replace Netanyahu’s government and aims to move as quickly as possible to establish a minority government comprising the 48 members of the opposition bloc, which could require the support of Israeli Arab parties,” said Barak Seri, a political analyst who formerly advised ministers including Ehud Barak and Aryeh Deri. The opposition leader, who has four weeks to form a government with the option of a two-week extension, would then seek to expand it by bringing in the ultra-Orthodox parties, though negotiations would be fraught. But that strategy faces a major obstacle within his own camp. Avigdor Liberman, leader of the right-wing Israel Beytenu, has ruled out relying on Arab parties to form a government, even temporarily. The prospect of a unity government with Netanyahu appears close to nonexistent. In a video statement Saturday, the prime minister called for unity, saying it was the need of the hour, while warning that “already in the coming week there are those who plan to swear in a government with the support of terror backers,” referring to Israeli Arab parties. Since election day, Netanyahu has repeatedly alleged that Israeli Arabs “stole” the election, with the accusations centering on a Shin Bet investigation into suspected foreign interference in voting in the Arab sector. The investigation continues, although the Shin Bet chief and attorney general have said the evidence does not substantiate irregularities on a scale that could significantly alter the results. Eisenkot responded Sunday, saying, “For me, unity is neither a political bargaining chip nor an empty gimmick, but a supreme value that embodies genuine partnership.” He called on members of Netanyahu’s Likud to support a government under his leadership. ©2026 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. More from this section Texas LADYDAWG BASKETBALL REPORT 11-6-26 Nov 6, 2026 Local News Santa’s Workshop: Elf Training starts next week Nov 6, 2026 News UN climate talks start in the year of disasters, energy price shocks and fast rising temperatures Updated Nov 6, 2026 News Somalia’s top court rules president’s term extension is unlawful, deepening power struggle Nov 6, 2026 Inside Killeen Podcast