🗳️ Election contest: leadership disputes and coalition commitments: After Eisenkot’s No. 2 did not categorically rule out rotation with Netanyahu, Bennett called the discussion troubling and said it impeded formation of a Zionist government. Eisenkot rejected both rotation and Netanyahu’s leadership, saying Netanyahu and all members of the October 7 cabinet were unfit to lead. He argued that a prime minister should serve four years to implement domestic and regional plans. Bennett and Liberman also met to discuss securing an election victory.
Eisenkot accused Bennett and Liberman of damaging their chances of winning. He criticized Bennett’s participation in what he called manipulation in the previous “change government,” argued that Lapid should have become prime minister, and said he would not permit a prime minister with six seats, calling that undemocratic.
Responding to questions following Amit Segal’s report, Eisenkot proposed an ethical code requiring lawmakers who reject their party’s path and leave to return their Knesset seats rather than defect. He said Shikli, Silman and their associates would not have been in his party and called their conduct disgraceful, contrasting with his recent statement about Shikli: “I respect him for his principled decision to leave.”
Yisrael Beiteinu responded by reiterating its commitment to a government excluding Netanyahu, Arab parties and Haredi parties. Its conditions include a conscription law applying to everyone, without quotas, targets or exemptions, and a lawful state commission of inquiry as the next government’s first decision. It challenged Eisenkot to identify his prospective partners. Accompanying commentary interpreted that challenge as an insinuation about cooperation with Ra’am, but the statement neither named Ra’am nor established such a plan. Senior “change bloc” figures separately criticized what they described as Eisenkot’s disclosure that he was forming a minority government reliant on Arab parties.
Democrats chairman Yair Golan urged Eisenkot, Bennett and Liberman to end their attacks and run a coordinated campaign with higher turnout. Criticizing the government over the massacre, draft evasion and abandonment, he said leadership disputes should be secondary to national interests. Golan said all would recommend the same candidate for prime minister, noted that he had already stepped aside and urged the others to follow. He described the coming 40 days as the most important in the country’s history.
The head of the Shibli–Umm al-Ghanam Bedouin local council backed Otzma Yehudit and criticized Ra’am after meeting Wasserlauf, one day after attending a meeting with Eisenkot. He said: “Anyone who is against the state is also against me.” Following Eisenkot’s meeting with Arab council heads, Netanyahu said: “They’re all counting on a government that relies on the Arab parties.”
Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef said Jewish law prohibited voting for someone who “has no fear of God and who ascends the Temple Mount.” Accompanying commentary questioned whether Shas feared losing voters to Ben-Gvir. Two days earlier, Shas Council of Torah Sages member Rabbi Elbaz had warmly greeted Ben-Gvir; Rabbi Yigal Cohen, by contrast, distanced himself and signaled non-support after Ben-Gvir arrived at his home uninvited.
🔁 Know someone who should see this? Forward it.
🗨️ Join the discussion, read on web & subscribe by email: https://www.israelrealtime.com/p/subscribe