From Fox News · Amelie Botbol · · 2m
Netanyahu's Coalition Crisis
Netanyahu faces coalition showdown as rivals maneuver to form Israel's next government.
In brief
Netanyahu faces coalition showdown as rivals maneuver to form Israel's next government. Netanyahu's bloc holds 53 seats but lacks majority; Eisenkot may form government with 61 seats needed. Originally reported by Fox News.
Netanyahu's Seat Count
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc holds 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, compared with 48 for the opposition alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot.
Netanyahu's Criticism
Netanyahu posted on X that the public in Israel does not want a government that depends on Ra'am and the Joint List, parties that support terrorism and reject the existence of the Jewish state.
Opposition Parties
The Joint List and Ra'am secured a historic combined total of 19 seats, potentially positioning them as kingmakers in the government formation process.
Government Formation Timeline
The lawmaker tasked with forming a government will have 28 days to do so, with the president authorized to grant an extension of up to 14 additional days.
Consultations Order
Consultations will be held in ascending order of seat count, beginning with Religious Zionism-Zehut and Shas, which each won six seats, followed by Yisrael Beiteinu, which secured seven.
Eisenkot's Role
A Joint List source told Fox News Digital that the alliance is likely to endorse Eisenkot to be the first lawmaker tasked with forming a government.
Coalition Challenges
BeYachad leader Naftali Bennett and Yisrael Beiteinu chief Avigdor Liberman are unlikely to agree to serve in a government reliant on the Joint List, given the latter’s pro-Palestinian positions and opposition to Zionism.
Minority Government Possibility
It is theoretically possible that the opposition bloc could agree to form a minority government with the Arab parties providing support from outside the coalition.
Historical Precedent
Israel’s 1984-1988 national unity government saw Likud and Labor form a rotation agreement with Shimon Peres serving as prime minister for the first two years, followed by Yitzhak Shamir.
Eisenkot's Likely Failure
Eisenkot may struggle to assemble a 61-seat governing coalition, given competing interests within the opposition bloc.
Netanyahu's Next Move
If Eisenkot fails, Netanyahu will likely be tasked with forming a government after a 21-day period where any Knesset member could attempt to form a government with 61 lawmakers.
What matters most
Netanyahu's bloc holds 53 seats but lacks majority; Eisenkot may form government with 61 seats needed.
