Eisenkot Opens 61-Seat Coalition Bid to Netanyahu as Israel Faces Split Parliament
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Nov 8
Eisenkot Opens 61-Seat Coalition Bid to Netanyahu as Israel Faces Split Parliament
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Nov 8
Summary
Six weeks after receiving the mandate to form Israel’s next government, Gadi Eisenkot said he would include Benjamin Netanyahu and even Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in a unity coalition.
48 seats won by Eisenkot’s four-party alliance left him short of the 61 needed for a majority, while Netanyahu’s right-wing and religious bloc holds 53, making cross-bloc defections or outside support essential.
19 seats held by Arab-led parties could give Eisenkot a 67-seat bloc, but he has ruled out governing with them; winning over the ultra-Orthodox Shas and United Torah Judaism would bring him exactly 61.
Isaac Herzog urged a stable government, citing a changed U.S. political landscape after the November 3 midterms, while Netanyahu remains caretaker prime minister and could get a chance to form a government if Eisenkot fails.
Will Eisenkot's refusal to partner with Arab-led parties ultimately hand control back to Netanyahu in Israel's deadlocked parliament?
How can Eisenkot build a coalition with ultra-Orthodox parties while simultaneously demanding an end to their military draft exemptions?
Could the deep political divide over the October 7 inquiry derail Israel's chances of forming a stable emergency government?
Stalemate in the Knesset: Eisenkot’s 67-Seat Mandate, Arab Bloc Leverage, and the Fight to End Netanyahu’s Rule
Overview
Israel’s 2026 election saw record turnout and a dramatic shift in parliamentary power, with neither Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc nor Eisenkot’s centrist change bloc winning a clear majority. Arab-led parties surged in support and recommended Eisenkot for prime minister, giving him 67 recommendations but not a workable coalition. Right-wing leaders refused to join any government relying on Arab factions, while coalition talks with ultra-Orthodox parties stalled over military draft disputes. As the deadlock persisted, the anti-Netanyahu bloc used its temporary majority to push for judicial reform rollbacks and an October 7 inquiry, but ongoing gridlock threatened new elections and economic instability.