Eisenkot Floats 58-Seat Minority Cabinet, Liberman and Bennett Object

Gadi Eisenkot is pushing a plan to take office with 58 or 59 seats, a route that would require a confidence vote but not a permanent majority of 61 Knesset members. His proposal has run into opposition from Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid, Avigdor Liberman and other figures who say a government must start with a Zionist majority. At the same time, parties in the bloc are close to agreeing on a candidate to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana before any coalition deal is settled.

The dispute sits on top of an election that polls show the anti-Netanyahu camp winning in seats, but not by enough to govern under agreements already in place. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc also falls short in several surveys, though some polls give the right-wing camp enough seats to reach a majority. The electoral threshold will decide the final seat count, and a small number of votes could determine whether Israel gets a government or another round of elections.

Eisenkot wants to lead the bloc and has said he would not serve under Netanyahu, including in a rotation. He has raised the minority option if the change-seeking parties take 58 or 59 seats. Such a government would win a confidence vote and then work to widen its support in parliament. The law requires a majority in a confidence vote, not 61 votes in favor, so abstentions could allow a government to be sworn in. A constructive vote of no confidence against an existing government is different and does require 61 backers.

Liberman rejects a minority government, even a transitional one, and wants a Zionist majority from the start. He also rules out a unity government with Netanyahu, saying a new election would be better than a government that fails his conditions. He has raised the idea of bringing Likud members into a government without Netanyahu, but he has named no one and no public talks with Likud are underway. Bennett and Lapid, who lead the Beyachad list, also demand a Zionist government and refuse to rely on Arab party votes or abstentions. Yair Golan of the Democrats has not ruled out working with Ra'am. Eisenkot has not ruled out outside support from Ra'am either, but no formula for the plan exists.

A meeting between Eisenkot and Liberman this week ended with a joint call to raise turnout and did not resolve their disagreement. The two men also differ on who should lead: Eisenkot wants to head the largest party, while Bennett points to his time as prime minister.

On the speakership, the bloc is looking at replacing Ohana before a government is formed. The goal is to control the parliamentary agenda even if Netanyahu stays on as head of a caretaker government. The speaker is chosen by a public vote early in a Knesset term, and the bloc could use Arab party votes to reach a majority behind a candidate. Names raised include Chili Tropper, Matan Kahana and Elazar Stern from Eisenkot's list; Meirav Ben-Ari and Eitan Ginzburg from the Bennett-Lapid list; Efrat Rayten of the Democrats; and Oded Forer of Yisrael Beytenu. No candidate has been agreed. Liberman estimated this week that up to one-third of outgoing coalition Knesset members might vote against Ohana, though they would have to do so in public.

The bloc also plans to move on a state commission of inquiry into October 7, changes to conscription law, limits on the prime minister's tenure, and repeal of some of the outgoing government's judicial changes. Liberman wants a bar on people facing criminal charges serving as prime minister. Party teams have started coordinating on these items, but no binding agreement exists on details or order. Some bloc members do not back every judicial change, a new speaker would not deliver a legislative majority, and laws aimed at Netanyahu could face constitutional challenges.