Yashar! party chairman Gadi Eisenkot said Saturday evening that he intends to use what he described as a clear parliamentary majority opposed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to push through major policy changes, including establishing a state commission of inquiry, introducing mandatory national service and repealing judicial overhaul legislation.
In a lengthy statement published after meeting opposition leader Yair Lapid, Eisenkot outlined his plans for the next Knesset while seeking to build a broad coalition that could replace Netanyahu's government following the October 27 election.
Yashar! party chairman Gadi Eisenkot
(Photo: Jack GUEZ / AFP)
Eisenkot said his immediate priorities would include establishing a state commission of inquiry, requiring all Israelis to perform some form of national service, expanding the number of people serving in the IDF and improving benefits and recognition for military personnel. He also pledged to repeal legislation associated with the government's controversial judicial overhaul.
"Don't let anyone mislead you: In Israel, it is the Knesset that gives the government its vote of confidence, not the other way around," Eisenkot wrote, emphasizing that the parliamentary majority, rather than the outgoing government, would determine the country's political direction.
Four conditions for joining a new government
Eisenkot reiterated four principles he had laid out before the election as the basis for any future governing coalition. These include recognition of Israel as a Jewish, democratic, liberal and egalitarian state; commitment to the values of Israel's Declaration of Independence; mandatory military, national or civilian service for all Israeli citizens; and recognition of Hamas as a terrorist organization whose military and governing capabilities in Gaza must be dismantled.
He said any lawmaker willing to endorse those principles could be considered a potential coalition partner, signaling his intention to build a government extending beyond his immediate political allies.
"On the basis of these principles, I intend to establish a broad Zionist government committed to the national interest," Eisenkot wrote. He said he would coordinate with his political partners and seek to expand their cooperation to carry out the voters' wishes and improve Israel's domestic and international standing.
"The door to the government we establish will be open to any elected official who accepts these principles and is prepared to rise to the occasion," he added.
Eisenkot also stressed the importance of avoiding another election, arguing that high voter turnout and the challenges facing Israel demanded a concerted effort to prevent another prolonged political crisis.
"On October 27, the public had its say," he wrote. "The composition of Israel's next government must be determined solely by Israeli citizens, without outside interference or manipulation. Now it is our responsibility as elected representatives to turn the voters' decision into reality."
Limited support for military action amid Iran tensions
Eisenkot also addressed the possibility of further military action against Iran, making clear that his support for operations before a new government is formed would be conditional on the severity and urgency of the threat.
"Until the new government is formed, I will support military action only in response to direct and immediate threats against Israel that cannot wait until the government is sworn in," he wrote.
He warned that the coming weeks would be politically turbulent, with intense negotiations and competing claims surrounding efforts to form a government.
"We face weeks that will be busy, complicated and filled with political spin and lies," Eisenkot said, adding that he intended to pursue his objectives with determination, discretion and creativity.
Eisenkot seeks backing from opposition leaders
Behind the scenes, Eisenkot has been working to consolidate support among parties that could form the basis of a new coalition. A source close to the Yashar! chairman told ynet Saturday evening that he had been strengthening ties with his natural political partners since the election results were announced.
According to a source within the bloc opposed to Netanyahu, Eisenkot has been meeting party leaders in an effort to secure their recommendations to the president, who must select a lawmaker to attempt to form the next government. The source said the meetings were intended to strengthen Eisenkot's chances of receiving that mandate first.
His meeting with Lapid on Saturday was part of those efforts. In a joint statement afterward, the two politicians said they had discussed the election results and ways to coordinate their next steps.
"The two discussed the election results and coordinated steps based on their shared commitment to fulfilling the voters' wishes," the statement said.
Meanwhile, Eisenkot's Yashar! party accused Likud of attempting to persuade its members to switch sides and support Netanyahu, a move that could alter the balance of power in the next Knesset. With neither political bloc holding a clear majority, even a small number of lawmakers changing their allegiance could prove decisive in determining who forms the next government.
In a statement Saturday evening, Yashar! alleged that figures associated with Likud had been contacting its members, naming Education Minister Yoav Kisch, Almog Cohen and Yaakov Bardugo, a Netanyahu confidant and incoming Likud lawmaker, among those allegedly making the calls. The party did not disclose the contents of the conversations or say whether any political offers had been made.
"In recent hours, there has been outright panic within Likud, including phone calls to Yashar! members from ministers and prospective Knesset members, among them Almog Cohen, Yoav Kisch, Yaakov Bardugo and others," the party said.
"The entire public can see how rattled you are by your defeat. We are committed to carrying out the voters' decision and establishing a Zionist government that will serve all Israelis," the statement continued.