Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot, who has been tasked with forming Israel's government, has decided to give priority to forming a coalition with the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) parties to build a full government that they would join. In doing so, he is adopting the strategy promoted by Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Liberman, who opposes relying on the Arab parties.
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Israel's Channel 12 reported that Eisenkot is working to move towards forming a "change government" with the Haredi parties, despite mutual distrust.
According to the channel, contacts between the "change bloc" and the Haredi parties have been under way for several days, after Eisenkot decided that, at least in the first phase, the country must move towards forming a "change" government including the Haredi parties.
The channel said this track is being taken seriously, but there are gaps between the two sides, both over substantive disputes and over trust. The trust gaps are particularly hard to bridge. The change bloc fears that the understandings could be made public, prompting the Haredim to back out at the last moment and return to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which could lead to new elections in which the bloc would suffer heavy political losses. The Haredim, for their part, fear finding themselves in a "prison" inside a government that does not honour the agreements reached, citing legal arguments, and being unable to bring it down because they would not have the 61 votes needed, unlike in the previous government.
Last Sunday, President Isaac Herzog formally tasked Eisenkot with forming the government, after he received the recommendation of 67 MPs during consultations at the President's office, compared with 46 who recommended Netanyahu. He has three more weeks.
Eisenkot had been expected to head a minority government backed by the Arab parties. However, at least half of the "change alliance", led by Liberman, told Eisenkot that his emergency plan for a 48-seat government was unacceptable and would not be implemented, and pushed for an agreement with the Haredim even if it required certain concessions.
Eisenkot needs the Haredi seats if he wants a "change government" that reaches 61 seats. The two main Haredi parties are United Torah Judaism, which holds seven Knesset seats, and Shas, which holds six.
Liberman, Eisenkot's main partner, is working to form this government. United Torah Judaism has already begun exploring a deal with Eisenkot's bloc. Party officials confirmed initial contacts and set out demands on conscription, education funding and religion-and-state issues.
By contrast, Shas has publicly affirmed its support for Netanyahu and said it is not negotiating with any rival bloc, which complicates Eisenkot's efforts.
Channel 13 reported that a debate is under way inside United Torah Judaism over whether to join an Eisenkot-led government even without first securing a guaranteed military exemption for yeshiva students.
According to the report, the Haredi representatives are seeking, as an interim arrangement, a one-year suspension of compulsory military service for yeshiva students, along with a freeze on arrests during that period and the cancellation of penalties imposed on Haredi draft evaders.
Channel 13 said the demands face major legal obstacles, an issue that also came up in consultations between members of the bloc opposed to Netanyahu and legal teams experienced in litigation before the Supreme Court.
Invitation to Likud for talks
Alongside progress with the Haredim, Eisenkot intends to invite Likud and Religious Zionism to negotiating meetings to form a broader government, although there are few high hopes for this track. Eisenkot does not plan to negotiate with the far-right Otzma Yehudit party led by Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Channel 12 reported that Yashar intends to meet representatives of Likud, led by Netanyahu, next week.
The Times of Israel said the planned talks could revive contacts that collapsed earlier this week, when Yashar cancelled a scheduled meeting with Likud representatives because of Netanyahu's divisive speech at the opening of the 26th Knesset, in which he accused the Arab parties of working to destroy Israel.
Nevertheless, Eisenkot has pledged not to work under Netanyahu's leadership. The prime minister-designate insists that he would lead any "national unity" government, which makes such a scenario highly unlikely.
If he fails to bring in all the Haredim and does not return to a minority government backed by the Arabs, Eisenkot has another option: a minority government with United Torah Judaism.
Israel's public broadcaster Kan reported that Arab party leaders and officials in United Torah Judaism have been exchanging information about the contacts they are holding with the change bloc in recent days, as part of coordinating positions and the demands put on the negotiating table.
United Torah Judaism does not rule out backing the Joint List's demand to freeze a law imposing restrictions on unlicensed construction.
At this stage, the Arab parties have not been asked to help the Haredim in their opposition to the conscription law. Political analysts believe that coordination between the two sides could make it harder for Eisenkot's bloc to manage the negotiations if the Arab and Haredi parties present joint demands.
On Friday, Eisenkot said he was "making progress in dialogue with partners". He said: "I am pleased to tell you that we are making progress in the dialogue with our partners, while at the same time working to exhaust all available avenues, which I am pursuing with complete sincerity and a serious desire to form a good, stable and productive government under my leadership, as there is no alternative."
Eisenkot also announced "the start of legislative procedures to establish a state commission of inquiry, along with the repeal of laws that harmed democracy… the era of the previous government, which exploited the situation for its own benefit, is over. The Knesset will once again become a house for the people."
Channel 12 said the two laws the bloc will prioritise repealing are the law that weakens the powers of the government's legal adviser, and the law that changes the composition of the judicial selection committee. The change bloc hopes to be able to repeal them before Eisenkot's mandate period expires.
Source: Al-Ghad.
