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.
Navigating a minefield
Forming a government will be anything but straightforward, Jyllands-Posten emphasises:
“Some of the Arab parties on which Eisenkot may have to rely are highly problematic. Ra'am, for instance, has Islamist roots. ... The Electoral Commission sought to exclude them, but the Supreme Court unanimously rejected this. Forming a government with their support is risky, especially when, like Eisenkot, you already ruled this out before the election. On the other hand, we know from Europe that firewalls don't work. ... Large sections of the population can't be kept out of the political arena forever. Eisenkot must therefore navigate a minefield to make ends meet.”
Unique opportunity gambled away
Dnevnik doubts that Eisenkot will be able to reach a substantive agreement with the Palestinian parties:
“Although Eisenkot would have the majority required to form a new government with the support of the Palestinian MPs' 19 votes, it appears that for the time being the new government will bring about neither political change nor a shift in the state's stance towards the Palestinians. Israel is on the verge of squandering a unique opportunity: a new mixed nationalist-Zionist-Arab coalition could have created a more sustainable foundation for Jewish and Arab citizens to live together on the basis of a binational conception of the state.”
Democracy catching up with Netanyahu
Of all the parties it is those representing Arab Israelis that are emerging as a force to be reckoned with, columnist Fatih Çekirge observes in Hürriyet:
“By proposing Eisenkot to President Herzog, the Palestinians have blocked Netanyahu's path. ... In this situation a minority government is on the cards, supported from outside by the 19 MPs from the Palestinian parties. If such a government does emerge, Netanyahu will step down as prime minister, and will therefore lose power. And that will then put the 'debate about his trial' on the agenda. ... That's what I call the 'divine justice of democracy'. Even if this government does not materialise, the fear that the Palestinian parties' share of the vote instils in Netanyahu is remarkable in itself.”
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.”