Israel’s newly elected parliament was sworn in Tuesday, opening a political transition that could bring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long tenure to an end. Although opposition parties made gains, Israel still does not have a new government, and coalition talks face major hurdles.
Former military chief Gadi Eisenkot is at the center of those negotiations. President Isaac Herzog asked Eisenkot on Sunday to form Israel’s next government after 67 lawmakers recommended him for the mandate, compared with 46 who backed Netanyahu.
Eisenkot’s Yashar party won 21 seats in the Oct. 27 election. He is coordinating with former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, whose B’Yachad party, formed with former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, won 12 seats.
Former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and other Israeli officials pose for a photograph during the inauguration of Israel’s 26th parliament at the Knesset in Jerusalem, Nov. 10, 2026. (Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)
The parties have not formally merged, but their cooperation gives Eisenkot the backing of 33 lawmakers in negotiations — more than Netanyahu’s Likud, which remains the Knesset’s largest single party with 27 seats.
A source familiar with talks among the bloc seeking to replace Netanyahu told News Media that Bennett has chosen to become a political kingmaker. Rather than pursue the premiership himself, he is supporting Eisenkot’s bid to lead the government.
According to the source, Bennett plans to coordinate closely with Eisenkot throughout the negotiations while maintaining his party’s separate leadership and parliamentary identity.
Members of parliament attend the opening ceremony for the inauguration of Israel’s 26th parliament at the Knesset in Jerusalem, Nov. 10, 2026. (Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)
The arrangement does not form a new 33-seat party, nor does it ensure that the two leaders will support every potential coalition deal. It does, however, give Eisenkot greater leverage than the 21 seats held by Yashar alone.
During Tuesday’s swearing-in ceremony, Netanyahu called for a national unity government, pointing to Israel’s security challenges. He also launched a sharp attack on Arab parties, accusing them of supporting terrorism and warning against a government that depends on their votes.
Bennett, usually a prominent and outspoken political figure who has stayed mostly out of public view during the coalition talks, repeatedly challenged Netanyahu during the speech.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a toast by the heads of Israel’s political factions at the Knesset in Jerusalem, Nov. 10, 2026. (Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)
“What about your Qatari advisers?” Bennett shouted, referring to an investigation into allegations that members of Netanyahu’s inner circle had financial connections to Qatar while working for the prime minister. Bennett also questioned why Netanyahu had not created a state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and challenged him to designate Qatar an enemy state.
The exchange interrupted Netanyahu’s remarks. Other lawmakers joined the shouting as the prime minister continued to warn against relying on Arab parties to support a government.
Eisenkot issued an unusually forceful response. “I sat and listened to the outgoing prime minister’s delusional, divisive, hate-filled and shameful speech,” Eisenkot said in a statement provided to News Media on Nov. 10. “I am now even more convinced that he is unfit to remain in office for even one more minute.”
Eisenkot then directed his negotiating team to cancel a meeting with Likud representatives that had been scheduled for Wednesday.
Yashar said in a separate statement that the meeting was intended to examine coalition possibilities based on Eisenkot’s four governing principles. Netanyahu’s speech, the party said, made the planned talks impossible.
Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar (“Straight”) party, waves an Israeli flag onstage after the first exit poll results were released in Israel’s general election in Tel Aviv, Oct. 28, 2026. (Ariel Schalit/AP Photo)
Netanyahu nevertheless continued to promote a unity government on Wednesday, saying Israel’s security challenges required cooperation across political divisions, according to The Times of Israel.
Despite the public clash, a national unity government remains one of the most realistic possibilities under discussion, according to a source familiar with negotiations among the bloc seeking to oust Netanyahu.
The source said such a deal would require Netanyahu to agree not to serve as prime minister initially. Eisenkot could lead under a rotation agreement, with Netanyahu taking the role of alternate prime minister.
The source said Eisenkot’s allies are also considering agreements with ultra-Orthodox or Arab parties. Those options could strengthen their bargaining position and put additional pressure on Netanyahu to accept a power-sharing deal.
It remains uncertain whether Netanyahu would agree to give up the premiership, even temporarily. The source stressed that talks are changing rapidly and that no agreement has been reached.
Naftali Bennett, former prime minister and leader of the Together party, speaks at a news conference at Israel’s parliament on May 20, 2026, in Jerusalem. (Amir Levy/Getty Images)
Why forming a government remains so difficult
The official election results gave Netanyahu’s bloc 53 seats, while the four parties seeking to replace him won 48. The remaining 19 seats went to two Arab-led parties: the Joint List, with 11, and Ra’am, led by Mansour Abbas, with eight.
Although 67 lawmakers backed Eisenkot for the mandate to form a government, that recommendation does not automatically produce a functioning coalition.
Herzog recognized the difficulty during consultations with party leaders, citing disagreements and reciprocal vetoes that could block either side from forming a stable government.
Eisenkot’s main partners are Bennett, Lapid, Yair Golan of the Democrats and Avigdor Liberman of Yisrael Beytenu. Their parties hold 48 seats combined — 13 fewer than the 61 generally required for a parliamentary majority.
Eisenkot has set out four principles for prospective coalition partners: recognition of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state; acceptance of the values in the Declaration of Independence; support for military or civilian national service for everyone; and recognition of Hamas as a terrorist organization whose military and governing capabilities must be dismantled.
Those demands have created a complicated political puzzle.
The ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism hold 13 seats between them — exactly the number Eisenkot’s four-party bloc needs to reach 61.
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Both parties, however, have traditionally opposed expanding military conscription to ultra-Orthodox religious students, putting them at odds with Eisenkot’s call for national service.
At a Nov. 10 faction meeting, Eisenkot repeated that he would not abandon universal military, national or civilian service, according to The Times of Israel.
The divide was highlighted Wednesday when Bennett’s party introduced legislation expanding benefits for soldiers and reservists, while United Torah Judaism submitted bills aimed at preserving draft exemptions for religious students, The Times of Israel reported.
Arab parties pose a separate challenge.
Ra’am’s eight lawmakers could help Eisenkot form a government, but Liberman has ruled out depending on Arab parties. Within the broader bloc, the political acceptability of such an arrangement remains contested.
A source in Eisenkot’s party told News Media that Yashar has not completely excluded cooperation with Ra’am, provided its leaders accept the four governing principles.
The source acknowledged that the talks remain difficult and that several coalition formulas are still being examined.
One possibility is an agreement with ultra-Orthodox parties. Another would involve Arab lawmakers, potentially through outside support rather than formal membership in the government. A larger unity arrangement with Likud is also under discussion.
Every option carries significant political costs, leaving Eisenkot to unite parties with sharply different positions on religion, national identity and security.
Mansour Abbas, leader of the Ra’am party, speaks in the Knesset plenum in Jerusalem on July 13, 2026. (Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)
Eisenkot challenges Netanyahu before taking power
Even before a new government has been established, Eisenkot and his allies have begun using their influence in the newly sworn-in Knesset.
In a Monday statement provided to News Media, Yashar said it had introduced legislation calling for a state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and imposing term limits on the prime minister.
The party also proposed repealing parts of Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul, including measures affecting the judiciary, the attorney general’s powers, the police and the circumstances in which a prime minister can be declared unable to serve.
The Knesset is scheduled to vote Nov. 17 on whether to replace its current speaker, Amir Ohana, a Netanyahu ally.
Those appointments could give Eisenkot’s allies substantial influence over the legislative agenda before they take control of the government.
Eisenkot signals a new approach to Washington
Eisenkot has also worked to reassure U.S. leaders about the future of relations between Washington and Jerusalem.
In a Nov. 4 public statement to Americans and the international community, Eisenkot promised to restore bipartisan cooperation with Washington and strengthen Israel’s ties with the United States.
“The bond between Israel and the United States is more than an alliance between governments,” Eisenkot wrote. “It is a partnership between peoples, built over generations, sustained by shared democratic values, and strengthened by the conviction that our nations are more secure and more prosperous when we stand together.”
He also spoke directly about his readiness to work with President Donald Trump.
“I look forward to working closely and constructively with President Trump and his administration, whose friendship and commitment to Israel we deeply value,” Eisenkot said.
The statement came as Washington debated the future of U.S. support for Israel following the American midterm elections and disagreements over Israel’s regional policies.
A source in Eisenkot’s party told News Media that rebuilding ties with the United States, including relationships with both major American parties, would be a priority for a new government.
Eisenkot has also stressed that he wants to pursue regional cooperation and diplomatic opportunities while maintaining Israel’s security commitments.
Yair Golan of the Democrats party speaks at a Tel Aviv rally calling for an independent state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks and the events that preceded them, Oct. 24, 2026. (Kevin Coombs/Reuters)
What comes next?
Under Israeli law, Eisenkot has 28 days from Nov. 8 to form a government, giving him until Dec. 6 to reach a deal. Herzog may approve an extension of up to 14 days, which could move the deadline to Dec. 20.
If Eisenkot fails, the president can ask another lawmaker to try to form a government. If that attempt also fails, further parliamentary procedures could eventually lead to another national election.
The result will determine not only Israel’s next prime minister, but also its policies on military conscription, judicial reform, accountability for Oct. 7 and relations with Washington.
For now, Israel is navigating an unusual transition: a newly elected parliament is already challenging the outgoing government’s agenda while the man charged with replacing it continues negotiating over who will join him.
A road sign stands before a billboard featuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot in Ramat Gan on Oct. 20, 2026. (Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images)
Eisenkot has Herzog’s mandate, Bennett’s support and the backing of a parliamentary majority that recommended him. What he still lacks is an agreement among those parties on how they would govern together.
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