Israel’s acting prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has asked this Saturday opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, tasked with trying to articulate the next government, to join him to set up a "National Unity Government" capable of meeting the country’s "enormous security challenges," after the meeting both held last Thursday.
In a message circulated on his social media, the Israeli leader addressed his political rival directly: "Gadi, rather than trying to form an unstable and dangerous government that will not be able to face the enormous security challenges we face (...) let us form a National Unity Government."
Netanyahu has openly urged Eisenkot that their respective parties, Likud and Yashar, cooperate and that the former Chief of Staff not "try to form an unstable and dangerous government" with the Arab-Israeli lists, in order to "guarantee Israel’s security for many years."
Along the same lines, he has insisted that "we must eliminate once and for all this existential threat hanging over us (...) A national unity government yes will be able to guarantee Israel’s security for many years."
The prime minister’s words reflect his intention to continue pressure on Iran, which he accuses of "resuming its efforts to reactivate its nuclear program" against Tel Aviv. In his view, the formula involves a coalition that "keeps the danger of immediate destruction" of Israel away from Teheran.
Netanyahu concluded his plea by arguing that "the response that is required of those who deliberately left is to form the Government of Hope: the Government of National Unity."
Eisenkot rejects the offer and demands Netanyahu and the "extremists" step down
Gadi Eisenkot responded by calling Netanyahu’s proposal a "farce" and ensuring that "his tricks will not fool either him or Israeli citizens."
In a statement published on social media, the opposition figure denounced that "Netanyahu asks for negotiations after they have already been set, says he wants unity, but belittles the solemn act in the Knesset and divides and incites as if there were no tomorrow."
The person tasked with attempting to form a new government stated that the prime minister is "aware of his defeat in the elections" and that, for that reason, "he is engaged in a defensive battle whose objective is to hinder the formation of a new one."
Eisenkot has made it clear that "for it to be clear, even Netanyahu knows that the conditions for joining a government headed by me are recognition of the principles that I have outlined and a break with the extremists".
Both leaders met on Thursday, in a meeting in which they agreed to keep each other informed about the country's "security situation". Although Eisenkot has the presidential mandate to try to form the Executive, Netanyahu continues to demand a "unity government" led by Likud and supported by ultra-Orthodox and far-right parties, while the former Army chief reproaches him for his attacks and defamation campaigns against the Arab population.