Netanyahu Faces a Coalition Showdown as Israel's President Begins Consultations Wednesday; Eisenkot May Get the First Try, Fox Reports
Netanyahu's bloc won 53 seats to the opposition's 48, short of the 61 needed. A Joint List source says the Arab parties are likely to back Gadi Eisenkot. Analysts told Fox that either man could struggle.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog begins consultations Wednesday with every party elected to the 26th Knesset before choosing who will try to form the next government, Fox News reports.
The math. The final count gave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc 53 of 120 seats and the opposition alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot 48. A government needs 61. The two mostly Arab parties, the Joint List and Ra'am, won a combined 19 seats, which Fox says could make them kingmakers.
Netanyahu's line. He posted that "the public in Israel does not want a government that depends on Ra'am and the Joint List," which he accused of supporting terrorism. He said he wants a broad government "with any party that wishes to do so and does not support terrorism." A Joint List source told Fox the alliance will likely endorse Eisenkot first. If both Arab parties back him, he would have recommendations from parties holding more than 61 seats.
The schedule. Consultations run in ascending order of seat count, starting with Religious Zionism-Zehut and Shas and ending with Likud (27 seats) on Thursday. Religious Zionism-Zehut, Otzma Yehudit and Shas told Fox they will recommend Netanyahu. Whoever is chosen has 28 days, with a possible extension of up to 14. The Knesset is sworn in Nov. 10.
What analysts told Fox. Amir Oren said Herzog would likely pick the candidate backed by a majority of seats, which points to Eisenkot, though he may not succeed. Naftali Bennett (BeYachad) and Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beiteinu), who have endorsed Eisenkot, are unlikely to serve in a government that relies on the Joint List, whose positions Fox calls pro-Palestinian. Dov Lipman expects Eisenkot to fail and the mandate to pass to Netanyahu, who would also likely fail, opening a 21-day window for any member with 61 backers. Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, said Netanyahu's rivals are working to push him out. Oren added that a caretaker government's room to act against Iran could be limited.
Related. Our earlier reports covered the final count, the 53-48 split and Netanyahu's complaint about the Arab parties.
What we could not check. The coalition scenarios are the commentators' predictions, not facts. The Joint List endorsement comes from one unnamed source. We have not seen the party statements.