Bennett Backs Eisenkot For Prime Minister

Forty-eight seats. That is the number of Knesset seats held by the opposition bloc following Tuesday’s election, a tally that falls short of the 61 required for a majority but becomes sufficient if Arab parties join the fold. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced on Sunday that his B’Yachad party will recommend Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, to President Isaac Herzog as the candidate to form the next government.

This recommendation marks a shift in the opposition’s strategy. Until now, Eisenkot had argued that the leader of the largest opposition party should seek the mandate. However, no consensus emerged on this point among Bennett, Avigdor Liberman of Yisrael Beytenu, and Yair Golan of the Democrats. The B’Yachad party stated that Bennett informed Eisenkot of the decision, noting that Bennett intended to respect the voters’ choice. Eisenkot’s Yashar party won 21 seats, making it the largest party in the opposition bloc, though it trailed Likud’s 27 seats.

The political arithmetic suggests a viable path to power. The Arab parties, Ra'am and the Joint List, won a combined 19 seats. A senior Joint List official told Walla on Sunday that both Arab parties are expected to recommend Eisenkot during presidential consultations. If Eisenkot secures the 19 recommendations from the Arab bloc along with the 48 opposition seats, he would have 67 votes in total. This would allow President Herzog to grant him the mandate to form a coalition within 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension.

Party leaders from both sides have engaged in private meetings ahead of the formal process. Liberman, who reportedly avoided calls from other opposition leaders last week, met with Eisenkot on Saturday evening. Eisenkot had previously met with Bennett and Golan separately. Liberman also met with Yair Lapid on Sunday. Meanwhile, Golan spoke with Joint List leaders Yousef Jabareen and Ahmad Tibi. The three parties agreed to meet this week to discuss cooperation. Golan also met with Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas last week.

President Herzog urged political leaders to accept the election results and avoid entrenchment during a state memorial ceremony on Sunday. He warned against climbing into trees and called for positioning in front of the reality of the results. Consultations at the President’s Residence begin Wednesday. Eisenkot may be the first to receive the mandate. The Knesset is scheduled to be sworn in on November 10 regardless of ongoing talks.

The Haredi parties, which currently support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are weighing their options. United Torah Judaism chairman Yaakov Asher convened with party members to discuss next steps, though no official recommendation was released. Rabbi Moshe Maya of Shas said there is no reason to rule out negotiations with Eisenkot. Netanyahu’s bloc holds 53 seats. If he remains in office, he would likely lead a caretaker government.

Opposition leaders have also coordinated on parliamentary tactics. Reports indicate they agreed to move to oust Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, a Likud member, as their first action after the November 10 swearing-in. This move requires a majority vote. With support from the Arab parties, the opposition could reach 67 votes to replace Ohana. This change would give the opposition control over the parliamentary agenda, including committee appointments and legislation, even if Netanyahu retains his role as head of the caretaker government.