Play store
Israel’s Arab political alliance, the Joint List, has announced its support for opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to form the country’s next government following last week’s general election.
In a statement issued on Thursday (November 5), the alliance said it would formally inform Israeli President Isaac Herzog that evening of its recommendation to task Eisenkot with forming the next government.
The decision was taken unanimously by the alliance’s three constituent factions following internal consultations.
The Joint List said its endorsement was aimed at preventing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government from returning to power.
The alliance acknowledged that it had disagreements with Eisenkot over several political issues.
It also expressed concerns about what it described as the opposition bloc’s insufficient efforts to confront Netanyahu’s policies, counter incitement against Arab citizens and defend the legitimacy of their political participation.
The endorsement could significantly strengthen Eisenkot’s position in the government formation process.
The Joint List holds 11 seats in Israel’s 120-member Knesset.
Together with other parties supporting him, Eisenkot is expected to receive recommendations from 67 lawmakers, exceeding the 61-seat threshold required for a parliamentary majority.
Earlier, another Arab-led political party, the United Arab List (Ra’am), had also announced its support for Eisenkot.
However, the recommendations do not automatically mean that the supporting parties will join his governing coalition.
The Joint List has indicated that it is willing to support a government from outside rather than become part of the coalition.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s Likud party and its religious-nationalist allies secured 53 seats, while Eisenkot’s centrist Yashar party and other Jewish opposition parties won 48 seats in the October 27 election.
Arab-led parties collectively secured a record 19 seats.
Under Israel’s political system, President Isaac Herzog is responsible for selecting the lawmaker he believes has the best chance of forming a government.
The designated candidate will have 28 days to assemble a governing coalition, with a possible extension of up to 14 days.
The latest developments have increased pressure on Netanyahu as political parties continue consultations over the formation of Israel’s next government.
