Israel Opposition Split: Eisenkot Pushes 58-Seat Plan

The Israel opposition bloc is divided over how to form the next government, with Gadi Eisenkot proposing a 58-seat minority cabinet while Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Liberman insist on a stronger coalition. Eisenkot, who seeks to lead the anti-Netanyahu camp, argues that the change-seeking parties may not reach the 61 seats required for a traditional government. He suggests that a government sworn in with 58 or 59 seats could survive a confidence vote by leveraging abstentions rather than securing a permanent majority of 61 MKs. This approach would allow the new administration to attempt to widen its parliamentary support after taking office.

Legal experts note that while a confidence vote only requires a majority to pass, a constructive vote of no confidence against an incumbent requires 61 votes. This distinction means the minority path could help install a new government but would not provide the bloc with the simple majority needed to remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from power if he remains in a caretaker role. Eisenkot has not ruled out support from the Ra'am party, though no specific formula for that cooperation has been agreed upon.

Bennett and Liberman oppose the minority plan. Liberman stated that a Zionist majority is mandatory from the start and that a transitional minority government is unacceptable. He indicated that another election would be preferable to a government that does not meet his conditions. Bennett and Yair Lapid, leaders of the Beyachad list, share this view, refusing to rely on the votes or abstentions of Arab parties. Yair Golan of the Democrats has kept the door open for cooperation with Ra'am, creating a divergence within the bloc. A meeting between Eisenkot and Liberman this week failed to resolve the dispute, resulting only in a joint call to increase voter turnout.

Simultaneously, the opposition is nearing an agreement to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana before any coalition is formed. Securing the speakership would give Netanyahu’s opponents control of the legislative agenda. Names proposed for the role include Chili Tropper, Matan Kahana, and Elazar Stern from Eisenkot’s list, along with candidates from the Bennett-Lapid, Democrat, and Yisrael Beytenu parties. Liberman estimated that one-third of outgoing coalition MKs might vote against Ohana, though the speaker is elected by a public vote in the new Knesset.

The bloc also aims to advance a state commission of inquiry into October 7, adjust conscription laws, and limit prime ministerial tenure. Liberman wants to bar individuals facing criminal charges from serving as prime minister. Party teams have begun coordinating on these legislative goals, but no binding agreement exists on the specific details or the order of operations. Obstacles remain, including disagreements over judicial changes and the memory of the previous Bennett-Lapid government, which collapsed before completing its promised reforms.