Jeruselam: Former army chief Gadi Eisenkot’s chances of being asked to form Israel’s next government rose on Thursday after the country’s two main Arab political lists said they would support him. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also faced a setback when a religious party that has long backed him refused to recommend him for another term, the Associated Press reported.
President Isaac Herzog is meeting party leaders after the October 27 election. Neither Netanyahu nor Eisenkot won enough seats to govern alone.
Herzog will choose which lawmaker gets the first chance to build a government. Usually, he gives the job to the person supported by the most parties. Eisenkot now appears to have that advantage.
Arab Parties Hold The Key
Arab-majority lists won a record 19 seats. This makes them important players in forming the next government.
Both lists said they back Eisenkot. The Joint List, with 11 seats, said: “it will inform the President of the State, Isaac Herzog, this evening of its decision to recommend that Gadi Eisenkot be tasked with forming the government”.
Raam, which won eight seats, also said it supports Eisenkot.
Religious Party Steps Back
United Torah Judaism, an ultra-Orthodox party, has backed Netanyahu in the past five elections. This time, it did not recommend him as prime minister. But it also did not back Eisenkot.
The party told Herzog “that it has decided not to recommend any member of Knesset to form a government”, the president’s office said. It has seven seats in the 120-member parliament.
The party, along with Shas, wants to keep the exemption from military service for religious students. Netanyahu has kept the exemption but has not made it permanent law. Many Israelis are angry about this because reservists have had to serve repeatedly in the wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.
“In whatever government is next formed, our immediate item is sorting out the status of Torah students,” United Torah Judaism lawmaker Isaac Pindrus said.
Eisenkot wants to end the exemptions. Some of his allies have also criticised the ultra-Orthodox community, saying it puts too much pressure on the state.
Experts think United Torah Judaism is trying to pressure Netanyahu. It may still join a government led by him if he can form one.
Difficult Road Ahead
After Herzog picks a candidate, that person will have 28 days to form a government. They can get 14 more days if needed. If they fail, Herzog can ask someone else.
Netanyahu’s bloc has 53 seats. Eisenkot’s bloc has 48. With the Arab parties’ 19 seats, Eisenkot could have enough support to govern.
But this may create problems. Some members of Eisenkot’s camp, especially Avigdor Liberman, may not want to work with Arab parties. Netanyahu has also strongly criticised the idea.
In a video on Wednesday, Netanyahu said there were “serious suspicions” that foreign powers put money into the election. He also questioned the loyalty of Arab citizens.