WorldPosted at: Nov 8 2026 5:34PM


Netanyahu calls on opposition to form 'national unity government', insists on keeping far right allies

Jerusalem, Nov 8 (UNI) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on opposition parties led by Gadi Eisenkot to form a "national unity government", but insisted that any such arrangement must include all parties from his outgoing coalition, including the far-right Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit parties and the ultra-Orthodox factions.
In a video statement on Saturday evening, Netanyahu repeated his appeal for a broad coalition, marking another shift in his language since the October 27 election. Shortly after the polls closed, he had called for a "strong, national, right-wing coalition", before advocating a "broad national government" under his leadership on November 2.
However, the prime minister did not specify who should lead a potential unity government.
Although Netanyahu has not publicly proposed a rotation arrangement for the premiership, public broadcaster Kan quoted an associate as saying he would be willing to discuss power-sharing if negotiations got under way.
The report also said an emissary sent by Netanyahu to explore the possibility of a unity government with Eisenkot had been "rejected out of hand". Eisenkot's Yashar party said it was unaware of any such approach.
Netanyahu used his Saturday address to renew his warnings against a government dependent on Arab-led parties, describing them as "terror supporters" and accusing them of posing a threat to Israel.
"There is someone who wants, as soon as next week, to hastily swear in a government with terror supporters. To establish a government in the State of Israel with those who want to eliminate the State of Israel," he said, referring to Eisenkot and the Arab parties.
He alleged that an administration dependent on supporters of Hamas would be unable to fight the Palestinian group or protect Israeli soldiers operating in Gaza and Lebanon.
Netanyahu also warned that the unrest witnessed in several European countries in recent weeks, which he attributed to Islamists, could be repeated in Israel if the opposition formed a government with Arab party backing.
"With a government like that, Israel simply won't survive," he said.
"I call for the establishment of a government of national unity which will include all the parties of the national camp, and all the Zionist parties which want to protect our country, the one and only state of the Jewish people," he added.
The term "national camp" is used by Netanyahu and his allies to describe the pro-government alliance of right-wing, far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties.
He claimed that a unity government would permanently remove the nuclear threat from Iran, protect Israel as a Jewish state and restore national cohesion.
Netanyahu also said he had advocated a unity government before the election. However, in several pre-election interviews with the right-wing Channel 14, he had described his preferred arrangement as a broad right-wing government and, on one occasion, explicitly ruled out a unity government.
Eisenkot's Yashar party dismissed the latest appeal as "hysterical", accusing Netanyahu of hypocrisy and of repeatedly dividing Israeli society and undermining previous unity arrangements.
The party said Likud and its allies were welcome to demonstrate their commitment to national unity by publicly ending their alliance with extremist factions, accepting Eisenkot's four conditions and agreeing to serve under his leadership.
The response notably made no provision for Netanyahu himself, whom Eisenkot has repeatedly said should leave public life, alongside others who held senior positions during the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led terror attack.
"The man who divided, tore apart, and sowed discord within Israeli society is heard speaking of 'unity' only now that he realizes his days in office are numbered," Yashar said.
"Unity is an important value for Israel, yet Netanyahu has acted systematically and resolutely against it, even during the most difficult war in our history," it added.
Yashar said the national emergency government proposed by Eisenkot would include only lawmakers prepared to accept four conditions: recognition of Hamas as a terrorist organisation and a commitment to dismantling its military and governing capabilities; recognition of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state; acceptance of the principles of the Declaration of Independence; and mandatory military, national or civil service for all.
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