Eisenkot Leads Opposition Bid to Replace Netanyahu Government

Israel's political future remains uncertain after the October 27, 2026, general election left competing parliamentary blocs without a majority. Opposition leaders have endorsed former military chief Gadi Eisenkot to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but negotiations remain complicated by disagreements over cooperation with Arab-led parties.

According to election results, Netanyahu's right-wing bloc secured 53 seats, while the opposition alliance obtained 48 in the 120-member Knesset. The two Arab-led lists, the Joint List and Ra'am, collectively won 19 seats, leaving every major political grouping short of the 61 needed to govern.

The opposition leaders met Tuesday in Herzliya, north of Tel Aviv, and agreed to recommend Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, to President Isaac Herzog. Their negotiating teams are preparing policy guidelines and coalition agreements ahead of formal government-formation consultations.

In their joint statement, opposition leaders pledged to replace Netanyahu's coalition and establish a new administration, saying they would act immediately to achieve that objective.

The statement also described their proposed administration as a government that would translate the parliamentary majority into political action. However, the leaders did not explain how they would secure the additional support needed to reach 61 seats.

They also maintained four principles proposed by Eisenkot, including recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and the designation of Hamas as a terrorist organization. These conditions could complicate negotiations with Arab-led parties.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett emphasized the urgency of the political transition during the meeting.

"We don't have time – we must act with great urgency," Bennett told reporters.

Netanyahu, whose Likud party finished first with 27 seats, has continued seeking another term despite the opposition's combined parliamentary strength. On Monday, he called for a government under his leadership.

"We aim to form a broad government with our partners and with any other party that wishes to join, provided they do not support terrorism," Netanyahu said.

He also rejected cooperation with the Arab-majority lists, accusing them of supporting terrorism and rejecting the existence of the Jewish state. Netanyahu's position makes it difficult for his bloc to secure additional parliamentary support.

His Likud party has also raised allegations of irregularities involving votes for Arab-led parties, which recorded their strongest electoral performance. Police investigations examined the claims and dismissed them, while a separate investigation by the Shin Bet remains ongoing.

Opposition divisions present another obstacle. Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats, supports cooperation with Arab-led parties, while Avigdor Lieberman has firmly opposed including them in a government.

Yousef Jabareen, head of the largest Arab-led party in the next parliament, urged the opposition to acknowledge the parliamentary arithmetic and cooperate to remove Netanyahu.

Following discussions between Golan and Arab-led party representatives, both sides highlighted their common objective of replacing the Netanyahu-Ben-Gvir-Smotrich government.

Their joint statement described a "shared interest in using the parliamentary majority to bring down the Netanyahu-Ben-Gvir-Smotrich government and replace it".

Ra'am previously participated in the Bennett-Lapid coalition from 2021 to 2022, marking the first time an independent Arab party formally joined an Israeli government. Its potential return to a governing alliance remains controversial among opposition politicians.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv over the weekend, urging Eisenkot to cooperate with Arab-led parties and reflect the parliamentary opposition to Netanyahu's government.

However, representatives of the Joint List indicated that they did not expect an immediate invitation to join the opposition's coalition-building efforts.

Political analyst Mitchell Barak described the situation as an unusual combination of parliamentary strength and political uncertainty.

"Essentially, we're both on track to a government, and nowhere near being able to form one," Barak told Al Jazeera.

He also questioned the level of coordination among opposition leaders, pointing to disagreements over parliamentary appointments and uncertainty surrounding negotiations.

"It's really not clear who's talking to who," Barak said.

Barak cited the opposition's reported decision to nominate Yair Lapid as speaker of the Knesset, which apparently surprised both Eisenkot and Bennett. He also highlighted Herzog's unusual position as the official responsible for deciding who should receive the first opportunity to form a government while considering Netanyahu's pardon request.

Barak said Netanyahu's rejection of Arab-led parties further complicated the political calculations.

"All the while, he's claiming that the Arab parties cannot be considered legitimate partners in government, which makes it almost impossible for anyone to form a coalition with them," Barak added.

Another possible route involves Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ), two ultra-Orthodox parties that have historically supported Netanyahu. Their parliamentary support weakened in May after disagreements over legislation concerning military-service exemptions for some ultra-Orthodox members.

Political analyst Nimrod Flaschenberg discussed speculation that members of UTJ could abandon Netanyahu and support Eisenkot, although such a move would not independently provide the opposition with enough seats.

"There are rumors that the Ashkenazi [Jews, who make up the bulk of the UTJ membership] are ready to break with Netanyahu and go to Eisenkot," Flaschenberg told Al Jazeera.

Herzog is scheduled to consult political parties on November 4 and 5 before determining which member of the Knesset should receive the mandate to form a government. The president can select a lawmaker who is not necessarily a party leader.

If appointed, Eisenkot would initially receive 28 days to assemble a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension. If he fails, Herzog could invite another candidate to attempt to form a government.

Netanyahu faces an additional political complication from his ongoing corruption trial and longstanding request for a presidential pardon. The International Criminal Court has also issued an arrest warrant for him over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the newly elected Knesset is scheduled to be sworn in on November 10, 2026, as negotiations continue over Israel's next governing coalition.