In brief
After a narrow election, Gadi Eisenkot said he plans to create the broadest possible government to leverage a parliamentary majority comprising support from Arab parties. His agenda includes a state inquiry into the Oct. 7 attack, mandatory service for all Israelis and reversal of judicial overhaul measures. Whether he can secure the seats or rally the needed majority remains unclear.
On November 1, 2026, Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot announced that he intends to form the broadest government possible, a move he said would enable him to advance a number of key legislative priorities. He cited the results of Tuesday’s parliamentary election and the support of Arab parties as evidence that a majority of voters rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The election left Eisenkot’s bloc with 48 seats in the 120‑seat Knesset, while Netanyahu’s coalition won 53 seats. Eisenkot pointed out that the 19 seats held by the Arab‑led Joint List, three‑party coalition, and the Muslim‑Ra’am party are all strong opponents of the Netanyahu administration, thereby giving him a partial majority on the basis of those votes.
His stated policy agenda focuses on three high‑profile measures. First, he wants to establish a state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7 attack. Second, he seeks to introduce mandatory military or civil service for all Israelis, and third, he aims to repeal the judicial overhaul legislation that has been promoted by the Netanyahu government.
In a social media post, Eisenkot said he was not forced to form a cabinet and could instead mobilise a parliamentary majority that includes Arab parties. “Let no one mislead: In Israel, it is the parliament that gives its confidence to the government, not the other way around,” he said.
Whether Eisenkot will be able to muster the necessary coalition partners from the Arab voters remains to be seen. While the Arab parties have pledged opposition to the current government, no agreement has yet been announced that would confirm their participation in a majority coalition. Likewise, the exact nature of the broadest possible cabinet and how it would balance the diverse interests of the coalition partners has not been decided.
These uncertainties—whether Eisenkot can secure the Arab support that would form a majority, whether his reform agenda will gain passage, and how a powerful coalition would be structured—have been highlighted by the sources themselves. They remain open unresolved to this day.
