Israeli opposition leaders back Eisenkot to oust Netanyahu

The Israeli opposition has put forward former military chief Gadi Eisenkot as their candidate to take over Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in the prime minister’s office, but discord is brewing over cooperation with Arab parties.

Five of the four opposition party leaders agreed on Tuesday to recommend Eisenkot to the president at a meeting in Herzliya. President Isaac Herzog will begin consultations with political parties on Wednesday over who should be asked to form the government.

“The party leaders are synchronised and will do everything to hand over the authority of the ‘Oct. 7 government’ to a national emergency government,” they said in a joint statement.

Neither bloc emerged victorious with the 61 seats needed for an absolute majority in the 120-member parliament after the Oct 27 vote. Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats, versus 48 for Eisenkot’s, with Arab parties that took 19 seats holding the balance of power, according to AFP.

Nevertheless, the opposition leaders are still split on whether to join forces with the Arabs. Yair Golan is in favour, but Avigdor Liberman has said he would not sit in a government supported by the Arabs.

“No time – we need to move with extreme urgency,” says former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.