Israel: Eisenkot to form a government
Following the elections in Israel, President Yitzhak Herzog officially tasked Gadi Eisenkot with forming a government on 8 November. The former chief of staff of the Israel Defence Forces is to form a coalition that could replace incumbent prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Cooperation with Arab parties is also under discussion. Europe's press takes stock of the options for alliances.
Negotiator with level-headedness and authority
El Mundo is optimistic:
“The negotiations on the support from Arab parties are proving to be extremely complex due to differences over the Gaza war, the Palestinian question and Israel's security. ... Eisenkot will have to demand unequivocal commitments to the democratic principles and the rejection of violence – including the recognition of Hamas as a terrorist organisation. In return, his other partners will have to recognise the legitimacy of the Arab representatives. Eisenkot's profile is an asset in this regard. ... The former chief of staff brings to the task a level-headedness and authority that could facilitate dialogue. ... His career path also indicates that he will treat the institutions with greater respect.”
Only PM if he breaks a promise
Eisenkot's paths to power are full of hurdles, SRF correspondent Christina Brun explains:
“The first path involves the Arab parties. ... But since 7 October a government reliant on Arab votes has been considered taboo by many Jewish Israelis. ... The second path involves the ultra-Orthodox. Surprisingly, United Torah Judaism, with its seven seats, did not support Netanyahu during the conversations with President Herzog. The party's price is well known: its young men are to remain exempt from military service. Yet this is precisely what Eisenkot's camp fought against during the election campaign, in the midst of the war, with exhausted reservists. ... The third path is a minority government. ... If Eisenkot wants to replace Netanyahu, he must break a promise. The only question is which one.”
Alliance with Arab parties problematic
The Daily Telegraph explains why the Arab parties are rejected as coalition partners by almost all other parties:
“The Arab parties are, in various ways, conservative, Islamist or nationalist, and do not share many of the values of mainstream Israeli parties, particularly on issues such as gay and women's rights. Some have even refused to describe Hamas as a terrorist organisation, despite the October 7 massacre, in which Israeli Arabs were also killed and kidnapped. Indeed, for precisely these reasons, many Arab citizens of Israel vote for mainstream Israeli parties rather than specifically Arab ones.”
Time for a bold change of course
Eisenkot must put his country back on the right track, urges La Croix:
“There are two issues at stake. Politically, it is a matter of bringing the Netanyahu era – which has lasted for 17 years and led the country into a state of permanent war – to an end. Philosophically, the issue is the nature of the state. A 2018 law defines Israel as the 'nation-state of the Jewish people', which repudiates the Arab segment of the population. If the Arab community is included in the future government, Israel's ethnic plurality will be reinforced. ... The decision is a difficult one for Eisenkot because the members of his coalition could abandon him. However, the time has come to break with the ideology of Jewish supremacy. This former general and champion of the rule of law must display courage.”