Netanyahu Seeks Broad Government but Rejects Reliance on Arab Parties
Netanyahu says he wants a broad government with any party that “does not support terrorism.” In the same post, he rejects one that relies on Ra’am and the Joint List.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he aspires to form “a broad government with our partners.” It would include “any party that wishes to do so and does not support terrorism,” he said. He posted the statement in Hebrew on X on Monday evening, Nov. 2, on his own account.
It came two days before President Isaac Herzog opens coalition consultations. The quotes here are Clash Report translations.
What Netanyahu Said
The post opens with a rejection of Arab-led parties. “The public in Israel does not want a government that depends on Ra’am and the Joint List,” he wrote. He called them “parties that support terrorism” and said they deny the existence of the Jewish state.
He then said his hand has been extended to a broad national government “from day one.” He said a clear majority of the Jewish public chose Likud as the largest party. In his words, they also chose him to lead the next government.
The “broad government” line comes next. The terrorism label is Netanyahu’s own, and he does not name any party that would qualify.
The Numbers Behind the Pitch
Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats in the Oct. 27 election, eight short of the 61 needed. Eisenkot’s bloc won 48, and the Arab parties won 19, JNS reported.
Likud is the largest party with 27 seats, ahead of Eisenkot’s Yashar with 21. Ra’am holds eight seats and the Joint List 11.
The opposition reaches 67 seats only with the Arab parties, the Times of Israel noted. That is the route Netanyahu is warning against.
A senior Likud official feared such a government could last a full term, Ynet reported. Netanyahu said in a closed meeting that he is “not completely ruling out any option.”
What the Other Side Has Said
Eisenkot set four conditions for any partner. They include recognizing Hamas as a terrorist organization and backing mandatory national service, JNS reported. Likud answered that he planned to cooperate with “parties that support terrorism.”
On Saturday, Netanyahu called cooperation with Mansour Abbas and Ahmad Tibi “a disaster for Israel,” WIN reported. Eisenkot has said he will not serve under Netanyahu, Kan reported.
Ra’am’s Abbas has said he would join an Eisenkot government for the internal security portfolio, Al Jazeera reported. The Joint List’s Yousef Jabareen told the Guardian it will not join but could back the bloc, the paper reported.
Avigdor Liberman will recommend Eisenkot but rejects a minority government backed by Arab parties, the Times of Israel reported. No Zionist opposition party has said it will join Netanyahu.
What Comes Next
Herzog’s consultations begin on Wednesday, Nov. 4, with the smallest parties. Likud is last on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 8:30 p.m., Walla reported.
Our earlier report on Likud’s vote-theft claims covers the fight over the Arab parties. Netanyahu has not said which parties he expects to join.
Choose Clash Report as a preferred source and see our reporting first in Top Stories.