Gadi Eisenkot, former chief of staff of the Israeli army, vowed to quit a government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, even in a rotation deal, as estimates leave both camps below 61 seats.
The Yashar party leader made the pledge in an interview with 103 FM on Wednesday: “I will resign after one hour.”
The Middle East Forum’s polling average, updated Oct. 19, projects 54 seats for Netanyahu’s bloc, 52 for cooperating opposition lists and 14 for Arab-led parties. A majority requires 61 of the Knesset’s 120 seats, leaving Netanyahu’s bloc seven seats short and the cooperating lists nine short. The opposition campaign pact left open who would lead a future government.
Anadolu Ajansı described a possible unity arrangement if neither main camp wins a majority. In that scenario, Netanyahu and Eisenkot would alternate as prime minister, while Jewish Power, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, would stay out of the government. The agency also reported that both camps had rejected alliances with Palestinian parties.
Israelis are scheduled to elect the 120-seat Knesset on Oct. 27.
