--- title: "Benjamin Netanyahu's Government Formation Uncertain After Election" url: https://newscentral.site/benjamin-netanyahu-s-government-formation-uncertain-after-election/ language: en publisher: "News Central Site" section: "World" published: 2026-11-03T09:03:29.000Z updated: 2026-11-03T12:43:53.165Z id: c3a9ad73-22be-4157-8cd1-569eeb8a3d6b source: "France 24 English https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20261103-israeli-opposition-unites-behind-eisenkot-netanyahu-voters-chose-him-pm" attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/benjamin-netanyahu-s-government-formation-uncertain-after-election/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story." --- # Benjamin Netanyahu's Government Formation Uncertain After Election Israel's opposition parties are set to gather for their first meeting since last week's election, which left neither the change bloc nor incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing alliance with a majority in the Knesset. Israel's opposition parties are set to gather for their first meeting since last week's closely contested election, which left neither the change bloc nor incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing alliance with a majority in the Knesset. All parties within Gadi Eisenkot's change bloc have endorsed him as the next prime minister, but they face a crucial decision on whether to form an alliance with Arab parties that made unexpected gains in the vote. These Arab parties could potentially hold the key to a coalition government, but their inclusion may be contentious among some opposition members. Party leaders from Eisenkot's Yashar party have announced that they will meet in Herzliya on Tuesday morning to discuss coordinating their next steps. The meeting marks an important milestone in the formation of a potential new government, as the diverse opposition grouping seeks to present a united front against Netanyahu's bid for another term. Netanyahu has called for a broad coalition government under his leadership, but it remains unclear whether this will be feasible given the fragmented nature of the Israeli political landscape. As Eisenkot's change bloc looks to unite behind their chosen leader, they face a complex web of alliances and rivalries that must be navigated in order to secure power. The Israeli opposition has made significant gains in the latest parliamentary election, securing 48 seats, while incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's camp took 53 seats, including 27 from his Likud party. Meanwhile, Arab-majority lists have won a record number of seats in the parliament, with 19 members elected. This development has given them considerable influence and potentially positions them as key players in forming any new government. In response to these results, Netanyahu has called for a broad national government that excludes the participation of Arab parties. He argued that his Likud party had secured the largest number of seats and that he should lead the next coalition as prime minister. Netanyahu also stated that his party would not form a coalition with any group that supports terrorism or denies Israel's existence as a Jewish state, explicitly ruling out an alliance with Arab-majority lists. As negotiations for forming a new government continue, cracks are emerging within the opposition bloc led by Benny Eisenkot. Although all party leaders in his camp have expressed support for him to form the next government, there is disagreement on how to achieve this goal. The possibility of partnering with Arab-majority lists has become a major point of contention. While some, like Yair Golan's Democrats, see potential benefits in such an alliance, others are strongly opposed. Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party is firmly against it, but Eisenkot's party has not explicitly ruled out the idea. The stance of Naftali Bennett's centre-right Together party remains unclear, adding to the complexity of negotiations. Meanwhile, Eisenkot's bloc appears to be holding firm in its support for him as prime minister. The Arab lists have hinted at possibly endorsing Eisenkot, but no formal decision has been made. Behind-the-scenes talks are ongoing, with few details emerging about the discussions so far. The shared objective among the Arab-majority leaders is to bring down what they describe as a "racist" government, while other parties in the opposition have more nuanced views on the issue. The Israeli opposition has begun to coalesce around a single candidate to form a government, with former military chief Gadi Eisenkot emerging as the likely choice. According to reports, Netanyahu's right-wing allies and ultra-Orthodox party Shas are expected to recommend his name for prime minister, while the position of another ultra-Orthodox party remains unclear. President Isaac Herzog will hold consultations with party representatives starting Wednesday and has seven days to make a decision or until November 11. --- Source: [France 24 English](https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20261103-israeli-opposition-unites-behind-eisenkot-netanyahu-voters-chose-him-pm) Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/benjamin-netanyahu-s-government-formation-uncertain-after-election/