Likud Official: Netanyahu Might Consider Unity Government Led by Eisenkot

A senior Likud official suggests that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would likely embrace a national unity government if proposed by Yashar! party leader Gadi Eisenkot, provided a dignified exit strategy is guaranteed. According to this scenario, Netanyahu could complete his term alongside US President Donald Trump and subsequently transition to the President's Residence after the conclusion of President Isaac Herzog's term in office.

The proposed framework envisions a broad coalition comprising Netanyahu alongside Religious Zionism and United Torah Judaism, while excluding Otzma Yehudit and Shas. On the other side, the bloc would include Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid, and Avigdor Liberman, potentially forming a 79-seat coalition on paper. However, Liberman has already ruled out sitting with Netanyahu, while the intentions of Netanyahu himself remain ambiguous.

Meanwhile, ultra-Orthodox factions are weighing their political options, with United Torah Judaism showing greater openness to a government without Netanyahu than Shas. While United Torah Judaism has decided to withhold endorsement for any candidate pending a concrete offer from Eisenkot, internal divisions remain evident, as figures like Yitzhak Goldknopf express willingness to engage, whereas Meir Porush remains skeptical. Shas, having experienced a significant electoral decline from 11 to 6 mandates, remains closely aligned with the right-wing bloc for now.