Eisenkot Refuses to Serve in Netanyahu’s Government Ahead of Elections

As Israel prepares for elections on October 27, Gadi Eisenkot, the main opponent of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has stated he will not serve as a minister in any government led by Netanyahu. Eisenkot, a former army chief, made this declaration during an interview on radio station 103 FM.

With just days until the election, many analysts suggest that no party will secure a clear victory. This has led to discussions about the possibility of a unity government that would combine Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc with centrist and center-right parties. However, Eisenkot firmly rejected the idea of serving under Netanyahu, even if they were to share power in a rotation agreement.

Eisenkot’s campaign has focused on questioning Netanyahu’s ability to lead, particularly in light of the recent Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Current polls indicate that both Netanyahu’s coalition and Eisenkot’s opposition are closely matched, each expected to win around 50 to 52 seats in the Knesset, which has a total of 120 seats.

While Eisenkot dismissed the idea of serving under Netanyahu, he did not completely rule out the formation of a unity government. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, whose party is currently polling third, expressed that he would not oppose a government that includes Netanyahu. However, Israeli law prohibits anyone facing charges from serving as a minister, a rule that does not apply to the prime minister.

Netanyahu is currently facing several corruption charges, which he denies. A recent poll indicated that 55 percent of voters would prefer a unity government over new elections if the upcoming vote does not produce a clear winner. This situation echoes the 2020 elections, where Netanyahu and centrist Benny Gantz formed a power-sharing agreement after multiple elections, though that government lasted only 13 months.