Yeshar party leader Gadi Eisenkot ruled out joining a government led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he would refuse even if U.S. President Donald Trump personally asked him to join.
اضافة اعلان
Israel’s Kan public broadcaster quoted unnamed sources as saying that Eisenkot recently told a closed-door meeting that he would not serve in a government headed by Netanyahu. He added that he would agree to meet Trump if invited, but would oppose any U.S. intervention in Israel’s domestic political affairs.
Eisenkot reportedly said that if Trump called him, he would respect the president and attend the meeting, but would insist that the matter was an internal Israeli issue and that he would avoid outside interference.
The Jerusalem Post reported last week that representatives of Trump had spoken with Israeli officials following the election about the possibility of forming a unity government bringing together Netanyahu and Eisenkot. The Washington Post quoted a Likud official as saying that Trump wanted a stable and reliable Israeli government that could be formed as soon as possible after the election.
The U.S. newspaper also reported that Netanyahu had told American officials he believed Eisenkot would be the best partner if hostilities between Israel and Iran resumed, adding that he would seek a more moderate coalition if they entered into a partnership.
Opposition leaders Naftali Bennett, Yair Golan and Avigdor Lieberman had all announced that they would recommend Eisenkot to President Isaac Herzog as the candidate to receive the mandate to form a government.
The election left neither bloc with a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats, while opposition parties secured 48 and Arab parties won 19 seats. Their support could give Eisenkot backing from 67 lawmakers.
However, forming a government remained complicated by disagreements over whether the opposition should rely on Arab parties and their support. Lieberman had ruled out joining a government dependent on Arab parties, as well as joining a unity government with Netanyahu.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
