After Israel’s Oct. 27 election left both major blocs short of a majority, Gadi Eisenkot accused Benjamin Netanyahu’s circle in a Friday post of politically fueling a campaign against Palestinian citizens.
In a Friday post on X, Eisenkot said Arab citizens account for 21% of Israel’s population. He called efforts to marginalize and discredit them as a group “an anti-state act” and said the campaign was politically motivated. He also said the premiership carries a duty to serve Israelis across voting lines.
Al Jazeera reported that Eisenkot’s four-party alliance finished with 48 seats in the Oct. 27 vote, while Netanyahu’s right-wing and religious bloc had 53. Neither side reached 61, the number required for a parliamentary majority. The outlet said Arab-led parties won a record 19 seats and endorsed Eisenkot.
Eisenkot has ruled out forming a government with the Arab-led parties, but their endorsement would give his bloc 67 seats, Al Jazeera reported. If United Torah Judaism and Shas both supported him, he would reach the 61-seat threshold, the outlet said. Al Jazeera reported that Eisenkot has six weeks to form a government. In his post, he said he wanted to complete the mandate as soon as possible, calling failure to do so a “grave mistake.”
Netanyahu repeatedly made unproven allegations of electoral fraud against Arab-majority parties, according to Al Jazeera. Israeli electoral authorities rejected the claims. Netanyahu also criticized Arab-led parties for refusing to call Hamas a “terror group” after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Al Jazeera reported. The outlet said leaders of those parties condemned the Hamas-led assault.
Eisenkot’s Friday post also referred to a Thursday security discussion with Netanyahu and the prime minister’s military secretary. Al Jazeera reported that Eisenkot offered no further account of the meeting.
EconoTimes previously covered Eisenkot’s objection to making Arab citizens targets of political disputes. The six-week mandate is the next decision window in efforts to form Israel’s government.
