Eisenkot's Minority Bid Clashes With Bennett and Liberman

Gadi Eisenkot is pushing for a minority government in Israel, a strategy that divides the anti-Netanyahu camp. While most polls place the opposition ahead of the outgoing coalition, the Zionist parties seeking change do not hold the 61 seats required to form a stable majority. Eisenkot argues that a bloc of 58 or 59 members of the Knesset can take office and then seek additional support, a move that Bennett and Liberman view as a risky gamble.

The current political impasse stems from the inability of any single camp to secure a clear mandate. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies also lack a definitive majority in most surveys, though some polling suggests the right-wing bloc may have enough seats. The final seat distribution will depend on the electoral threshold and marginal vote shares, creating a scenario where a small number of ballots could determine the next government or trigger further turmoil.

Eisenkot intends to lead the opposition bloc and serve as the primary candidate for prime minister. He has rejected a rotation deal with Netanyahu and is now focusing on a legislative pathway that allows a government to be sworn in after winning a confidence vote without permanent backing from 61 MKs. Under this legal interpretation, abstentions can facilitate the formation of a cabinet, although a constructive vote of no confidence against a sitting government still requires a full majority of 61.

Avigdor Liberman opposes this approach categorically. He insists on a Zionist majority from the outset and has stated that another election is preferable to a government that does not meet his conditions. Liberman has suggested that some Likud members might join a cabinet without Netanyahu, but he has not named specific candidates nor confirmed active negotiations. Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid share this skepticism, demanding a government that does not rely on the votes or abstentions of Arab parties.

The opposition parties are simultaneously negotiating the replacement of Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana. This move is designed to give opponents control of the parliamentary agenda before any coalition is finalized. The speaker is elected early in a new term, and the bloc plans to use support from Arab parties to secure a majority for a new candidate. Names under consideration include Chili Tropper, Matan Kahana, and Elazar Stern from Eisenkot's list, and Meirav Ben-Ari and Eitan Ginzburg from the Bennett-Lapid list.

No consensus candidate for the speakership has been announced yet. Liberman estimated this week that up to one-third of the outgoing coalition might vote against Ohana, provided they do so in a public vote. The opposition also aims to launch a state commission of inquiry into October 7 and modify conscription laws. Liberman wants a specific bar on ministers facing criminal charges, a provision that may face constitutional challenges. Party teams have begun coordinating on these legislative priorities, but no binding agreement exists on the final order of operations.

A meeting between Eisenkot and Liberman this week resulted in a joint call to increase voter turnout, but the fundamental disagreement over the government's structure remains unresolved. Eisenkot seeks to head the largest party, while Bennett views his former role as prime minister as a qualification for the top post. The memory of the previous Bennett-Lapid government, which collapsed before completing its legislative agenda, influences the current strategic calculations. The parties must now balance the desire for power against the risk of forming a fragile administration.