‘These tricks don’t work on me’: Eisenkot rejects Netanyahu’s ‘unity government’ appeal
Israel’s caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday renewed his call for a national unity government with political rival Gadi Eisenkot, who dismissed the appeal as a political “trick” and accused him of trying to sow division.The exchange comes as Eisenkot negotiates to form a government after being tasked with the job on Sunday. He has 28 days to form a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension.In a video statement, Netanyahu said a meeting with Eisenkot on Thursday had reinforced his belief that a unity government was necessary to protect Israel’s security.Such an administration, he said, could “eliminate the Iranian threat once and for all”, AFP reported.Netanyahu said the proposed government should comprise parties that recognise Israel “as a state for the Jewish people”. He identified Iran as a key security concern, claiming it would “not hesitate to use nuclear weapons against us”.He also warned against Eisenkot’s proposal to establish a minority government under the banner of a “national emergency government”.Under the plan, the 48 lawmakers in Eisenkot’s bloc would back the government, while Netanyahu’s 46 supporters would oppose it. The remaining 26 lawmakers from Arab and ultra-Orthodox parties could abstain, allowing the government to secure approval in the 120-member Knesset without an absolute majority.“Instead of trying to form a weak and dangerous government… let’s meet in one room, without preconditions, put aside all our disagreements and all the boycotts, and reach agreements for the security and the future of the state,” Netanyahu said.Eisenkot then responded, accusing Netanyahu of making a tactical appeal despite knowing that he had lost the election.“Netanyahu is calling for negotiations while they are already underway; he claims to want unity but… sows division and stokes tensions as if there were no tomorrow,” Eisenkot said, adding that “these tricks don’t work on me”, AFP reported.
‘Break with extremists’ to participate in alliance: Eisenkot
Eisenkot has indicated that he would be open to forming a government with members of Netanyahu’s Likud party and outgoing Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism, provided their commitment to unity was “sincere”.However, an arrangement involving Netanyahu himself remains unlikely, particularly after Eisenkot criticised the caretaker prime minister’s campaign against Arab parties as “racist”.On Saturday, Eisenkot reiterated his demand for a “break with the extremists”, particularly supporters of far-right minister Itamar Ben Gvir, as a condition for their participation in any government led by him.According to AFP, the two sides are also at odds over the election of the Knesset speaker, scheduled for Tuesday. The post is currently held by Amir Ohana, a close Netanyahu ally. The opposition has nominated Matan Kahana, a former Israeli army officer who was fifth on Eisenkot’s electoral list, to replace him.“If they (Likud and its allies) are truly seeking a sincere political partnership, as they claim, they must allow the democratic process to unfold normally… and instruct their members of parliament to support the appointment of Matan Kahana,” Eisenkot said.Coalition negotiations are expected to be difficult, particularly amid Netanyahu’s campaign against Arab-Israeli parties, which secured a record number of seats in the election. His proposed unity government would include major Jewish parties from the centre to the right, while excluding Arab parties.
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