The leader of Yisrael Beitenu, Avigdor Lieberman, confirmed this Monday that he will back opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot in his attempt to form a Government in Israel; a decisive gesture that increases the chances that the former Chief of Staff will be the first to receive from the president the mandate to try to form a new Executive.
The seven seats of Yisrael Beytenu underpin the alliance under construction promoted by Eisenkot’s Yashar party, the second most-voted list with 21 deputies, only six behind Likud of the current prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
Lieberman, a veteran of the Israeli political scene, has held up to five different ministries and has been deputy prime minister at the head of a conservative and Zionist formation, once a reference point for the Russian-speaking electorate. Former Defense and Foreign Affairs minister in cabinets headed by Netanyahu, in these elections he appeared integrated into Eisenkot’s bloc, although for weeks he has been placed at the center of speculation about a possible shift toward the prime minister’s camp.
In a press appearance, he reiterated that he completely rules out joining a coalition with Netanyahu and claimed his role as a possible kingmaker in a future Government. "I have been approached by leaders with the strangest proposals," he noted when asked about the rumors that even placed him as head of Government in a "rotation Executive" with Netanyahu.
Likewise, Lieberman has proposed that another of the opposition figures, former prime minister Yair Lapid, take over the Presidency of the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament.
Soon after, another opposition force, The Democrats, also announced its support for the retired general. The party led by Yair Golan, which defends a model of "liberal Zionism" of a center-left kind, was the sixth most-voted list and won eight deputies, four more than in the previous elections.
Its leader, Yair Golan, made his support for Eisenkot public through a video circulated on social media, in which he maintains that Netanyahu will try to use the military path again, whether in Gaza or against Iran, to prolong his mandate.
"He will not hesitate to lead Israel into a security escalation and a state of emergency to delay the change of government," Golan stated in his intervention.
With the accession of Los Demócratas, Eisenkot consolidates the support of the main formations of the Zionist opposition, among them Yisrael Beitenu and the B'Yachad of former prime minister Naftali Bennett.
For now, the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, has given himself until Wednesday for the different forces to negotiate among themselves before beginning the formal round of contacts with the leaders of the parties that have obtained representation in the Knesset.
According to his office, he will begin consultations with the smaller groups "to allow a thorough examination of all the options on the table". Thursday afternoon will be the turn of the main formations, Yashar and Likud.
"After concluding the round of consultations, and any other consultation that may be necessary, he will announce the member of the Knesset tasked with forming a government. Once the President has done so, said member of the Knesset will have 28 days, as stipulated in the Basic Law", recalls the Presidency.
"If more time were needed, the President is authorized by law to grant an extension of up to 14 additional days", adds the note.