Can Eisenkot unseat Netanyahu: Path ahead, and one major roadblock
Indian Express - Explained · Published 8 November 2026 · Last updated
Gadi Eisenkot must cobble a fragile coalition of 48 MPs, navigating ultra‑Orthodox and Arab party roadblocks, to prevent a repeat election and unseat Netanyahu.
Key points
- Eisenkot was recommended by parties holding 67 seats in the 120‑seat Knesset to form a new government.
- His core bloc comprises 48 MPs: Yashar (21), Together (12), Democrats (8) and Yisrael Beiteinu (7).
- Netanyahu’s caretaker coalition controls only 46 seats after United Torah Judaism refused to back Eisenkot.
- Ultra‑Orthodox parties hold 13 seats while Arab parties hold a record 19 seats, both potential coalition partners.
- Liberman of Yisrael Beiteinu rules out any government that includes Arab parties or relies on their external support.
- Eisenkot demands any partner to label Hamas a terrorist organization, a condition rejected by Raam leader Mansour Abbas.
- He plans to form an initial minority government, seeking abstention from Arab and ultra‑Orthodox parties on the confidence vote.
- Eisenkot aims to replace Netanyahu‑appointed judicial reforms and establish a national commission of inquiry into the Oct 7 security failures.
Background
- Israel’s 2022‑2023 political crisis led to four elections, culminating in the Oct 2023 war and Netanyahu’s controversial judicial overhaul.
- The Oct 7, 2023 Hamas attack, Israel’s worst security breach, sparked calls for a national inquiry into intelligence and defense failures.
- In 2021, the Judicial Reform Law increased political control over judicial appointments, later expanded by Netanyahu’s coalition.
- Arab parties achieved a historic 19‑seat presence in the 2026 election, the highest ever for Arab factions in the Knesset.
- Ultra‑Orthodox conscription exemption has been a long‑standing policy, with about 25% of draft‑age men exempted as of 2026.
UPSC relevance, Prelims facts and Mains angle for this issue are in the full SWAदेSH note.
Original report: Indian Express - Explained