Israeli elections are complicated–you vote for the party–not for the candidate. In the recent election for Prime Minister, Netanyahu’s coalition controlled 53 votes in Parliament. Eisenkot’s four-party “change bloc” holds just 48 seats. The Knesset has 120 incoming lawmakers. On Saturday, Breitbart posted an article with an update on the situation.
The article reports:
Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced Saturday that he will give former military chief Gadi Eisenkot the first opportunity to form Israel’s next government, handing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a significant political setback nearly two weeks after the country’s parliamentary elections.
The decision places Eisenkot, leader of the opposition Yashar party, in position to challenge Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, although assembling a governing coalition remains a formidable obstacle.
Despite securing recommendations from 67 of the Knesset’s 120 incoming lawmakers, Eisenkot’s four-party “change bloc” holds just 48 seats, while Netanyahu’s outgoing coalition controls 53, leaving neither side with a parliamentary majority.
Herzog informed both leaders of his decision Saturday following consultations with representatives of the newly elected parliament and additional discussions over the weekend. Eisenkot will formally receive the mandate Sunday at 5 p.m. local time, beginning a 28-day period to form a government that the president can extend by up to 14 days.
During that time Netanyahu will remain as Prime Minister.
The article notes:
The president’s decision follows an election in which Netanyahu’s longstanding parliamentary alliance fell short of the 61 seats needed for an outright majority, despite outperforming expectations. During presidential consultations, 46 lawmakers recommended Netanyahu, while the seven members of United Torah Judaism (UTJ), an ultra-Orthodox party traditionally allied with him, declined to endorse either candidate.
Eisenkot secured his 67 recommendations with the backing of 19 lawmakers from the Arab parties Ra’am and the Joint List, whose support has emerged as a central obstacle to establishing a government capable of replacing Netanyahu.
Against that backdrop, Netanyahu warned in a video statement Saturday that a government dependent on Arab-party support would undermine Israel’s ability to confront Hamas and other security threats, including Iran.
“A government dependent on terror supporters will not fight terror,” Netanyahu warned, accusing the Arab parties of holding positions incompatible with Israel’s security interests.
“With such a government, Israel simply will not survive,” he said.
I question the idea of changing horses in mid-stream–I am not convinced that the war between Israel and Iran is over. This is a situation that bears watching.