Netanyahu renews unity government call, Eisenkot rejects appeal

Israel’s caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday renewed his call for a national unity government with opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, who dismissed the appeal as a political ploy.

The exchange comes as Eisenkot negotiates to form a government after being tasked with the process on Sunday. He has 28 days to complete it, with a possible 14-day extension.

Netanyahu said a meeting with Eisenkot on Thursday had “only strengthened the conviction that it is essential to form a national unity government” to ensure Israel’s security. He claimed such a government could “eliminate the Iranian threat once and for all”.

He urged Eisenkot to abandon plans for a minority government and negotiate without preconditions. The proposed arrangement would rely on 48 lawmakers in Eisenkot’s bloc voting in favour, while 46 lawmakers backing Netanyahu oppose it. The remaining 26 members could abstain, allowing the government to secure approval in the 120-member Knesset.

Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of knowing he had lost the election and using the unity appeal to disrupt ongoing negotiations. “These tricks don’t work on me,” he said.

Eisenkot has said he could work with members of Netanyahu’s Likud party and outgoing Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party if their commitment to unity is “sincere”. However, he has ruled out cooperation with extremists, particularly supporters of far-right minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

The two leaders are also at odds over the election of the Knesset speaker. Eisenkot has urged Likud lawmakers to support opposition nominee Matan Kahana, a former Israeli army officer, for the post.