Israeli opposition leaders have agreed to back Yashar party head Gadi Eisenkot for prime minister, delivering a fresh political challenge to Netanyahu after the Oct. 27 elections left his bloc well short of a parliamentary majority and exposed the deepening crisis within the Israeli regime.
The agreement was reached Tuesday at the first joint meeting of opposition leaders since the elections, as Netanyahu’s bloc secured just 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, falling eight seats short of a majority and leaving his political future increasingly uncertain.
The meeting brought together Eisenkot, former prime minister Naftali Bennett of the Together party, Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman, Yair Golan of the Democrats, and opposition leader Yair Lapid, The Jerusalem Post reported.
The opposition’s decision to unite behind Eisenkot reflects an effort to capitalize on Netanyahu’s weakened parliamentary position and prevent him from securing another term in power.
Following the meeting, Bennett demanded swift action to establish a new government and pledged his party’s full support for Eisenkot, emphasizing the urgency of the political struggle.
“We have no time. We need to act with great urgency,” Bennett said, calling on opposition factions to move quickly to secure the mandate to form a government.
The election results highlighted the fragmented political landscape, with Netanyahu’s bloc winning 53 seats, opposition parties securing 48 and Arab parties obtaining 19.
Despite their combined 67 seats, opposition and Arab parties do not automatically constitute a unified governing coalition, leaving Eisenkot dependent on securing sufficient support to reach the 61-seat threshold.
The outcome has further exposed the Israeli regime’s political vulnerability, as Netanyahu faces mounting domestic and international criticism over his leadership and the consequences of Israel’s policies, particularly the genocide in Gaza and the continued operations of occupation forces.
Meanwhile, Israeli regime president Isaac Herzog is scheduled to begin consultations with parties represented in the new Knesset on Wednesday before deciding which lawmaker will receive the mandate to form a government.
The consultations will determine whether the opposition can turn its agreement behind Eisenkot into a functioning coalition or whether Netanyahu can once again navigate the fractured political landscape to preserve his hold on power.