After the election: dispute over government formation in Israel escalates

Jerusalem. Israel's incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls on opposition parties to form a government of national unity. In addition to his right-wing conservative Likud and the two ultra-Orthodox parties, this should also include the two right-wing extremist parties of his previous coalition. Netanyahu did not say in his video message who would lead such a government.

At the same time, Netanyahu warned the opposition against a government that would be dependent on the support of the two Arab parties. According to him, such a government would destroy Israel from within,

President wants to award the contract to form a government on Sunday

Netanyahu's call came one day before President Izchak Herzog wants to award the contract to form a government. According to information from the N12 news portal, he will commission the opposition politician Gadi Eisenkot. During consultations with the president, parties with a total of 67 of the 120 parliamentary seats recommended Eisenkot, while Netanyahu received the support of 46 MPs.

Eisenkot speaks of a “cheap PR ploy”

Eisenkot, leader of the newly founded centrist Jashar party, described Netanyahu's speech on X as a "cheap PR ploy". The man who divided Israeli society and sowed discord only spoke of unity when he realized that his days in office were numbered. Netanyahu never honored an agreement he signed with political partners.

If Netanyahu's Likud party and its allies suddenly became interested in "unity" and a broad government, they would be welcome to publicly dissolve their alliance with the extremists and announce their willingness to join a government led by Prime Minister Eisenkot, he said.