Eisenkot Won’t Serve Under Netanyahu Even if Trump Asks, Kan Reports
Israel’s opposition leader reportedly told associates he would take a call from Trump but still refuse a Netanyahu-led government. The report came from Kan, not Channel 12.
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Kan News reported on Nov. 2 that Gadi Eisenkot will not serve under Benjamin Netanyahu, even if Donald Trump asks. The Yashar party leader said it in closed conversations, Kan said.
The original report is from Kan, Israel’s public broadcaster, not Channel 12. We found no matching report from N12, Ynet, the Times of Israel or JNS.
What Eisenkot Reportedly Said
Kan quoted him as saying: “If Trump calls me, I will respect the president and come.” He then added that he would insist the matter is “internal Israeli” and “prevent intervention,” per Kan.
So the quote is a refusal to serve under Netanyahu, paired with a promise to take a Trump call. Eisenkot did not publicly confirm the remarks, and Kan did not name who heard them.
He has said the same in public. “I unequivocally pledge that I will not serve under Netanyahu in a rotation agreement. Period,” he told Radio 103FM on Oct. 21, the Times of Israel reported.
He added that he would resign “an hour later” if it happened, JNS reported.
Why Trump Is in the Frame
Trump endorsed Netanyahu on Oct. 18 and repeated it before the Oct. 27 vote. Eisenkot said he had asked for no intervention in Israel’s election, the Times of Israel reported.
After the vote, Trump told Axios that his endorsement “made a big difference for Bibi.” Asked if he would help form a unity government, he said, “I will take a look,” World Israel News reported.
A US official called reports of a preferred coalition “false and premature,” the same report said. Another US official told i24NEWS that Trump may wait weeks, then tell both men to “come to Mar-a-Lago.” Read the report.
The Washington Post reported that Trump surrogates had discussed a unity government with Israelis, as carried by DNYUZ. It said the administration was divided on the idea.
The Math After the Election
Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats and Eisenkot’s bloc 48, the Jewish Chronicle reported. The Arab parties hold 19, and 61 are needed for a majority.
Netanyahu said in a closed meeting that he is “not completely ruling out any option,” Ynet reported, per the Jewish Chronicle. Likud whip Ofir Katz has ruled out rotation.
On the same Monday, Avigdor Liberman said Yisrael Beytenu will recommend Eisenkot to President Isaac Herzog. Our earlier report has the details, and the Democrats said they would back him too, the Jerusalem Post reported.
Liberman also rejected a minority government backed by Arab parties, the Times of Israel reported. Herzog’s consultations begin on Wednesday, Nov. 4, and he meets Eisenkot on Thursday, Nov. 5, Walla reported.
Our post-election explainer covers how the deadlock emerged.
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