Israeli opposition leaders have supposedly agreed to back former military chief Gadi Eisenkot as prime minister, pledging to replace Benjamin Netanyahu’s government as swiftly as possible. The five party heads convened in Herzliya, north of Tel Aviv, marking their first joint meeting since the recent election which left neither political bloc with a clear majority in the 120-seat Knesset.

The agreement comes immediately ahead of consultations initiated by Israeli regime President Isaac Herzog regarding the formation of the next administration. However, the opposition coalition remains deeply fractured over whether to form an alliance with Arab-led parties, whose support could potentially prove decisive. In a joint statement, the leaders asserted that their respective parties would recommend Eisenkot to Herzog.

The political maneuver faces significant hurdles as Eisenkot maintains strict principles, requiring all coalition partners to recognize Israel as a Jewish state and label Hamas as a terrorist organization—conditions that effectively alienate several Arab-led factions. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett emphasized the urgency of the situation, urging immediate action to restructure the political leadership.

Current figures show Netanyahu’s bloc holding 53 seats, the opposition securing 48, and Arab-led parties accounting for 19, while a parliamentary majority requires 61 seats. Meanwhile, Netanyahu—who faces ongoing corruption trials and international scrutiny over alleged war crimes—has dismissed cooperation with Arab lists while attempting to rally support for a broad national government under his continued leadership.

Source: www.aljazeera.com