Tel Aviv [Israel], November 15 (ANI): Israel's caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged opposition rival Gadi Eisenkot to hold talks without preconditions on forming a national unity government, proposing a coalition comprising Jewish-majority parties to address the country's security challenges, particularly the threat posed by Iran.
However, Eisenkot dismissed the offer as "another spin", saying negotiations between the Likud and Yashar parties had already been scheduled for the following day.
In a video statement on Saturday, Netanyahu said his recent conversation with Eisenkot reinforced his belief in the need for a broad-based government, arguing that a narrow coalition or one dependent on parties he described as supporters of terrorism would be unable to address Israel's security challenges.
Netanyahu said the proposed unity government should include all parties that support Israel's existence as the state of the Jewish people, adding that such an arrangement could also help achieve national reconciliation.
"On Thursday, I had an important conversation with Gadi Eisenkot. Gadi and I have known each other for many years, since his tenure as IDF Chief of Staff and even before that," Netanyahu said.
He added that the conversation strengthened his understanding of the importance of establishing a national unity government amid security challenges facing Israel.
Highlighting the Iranian threat, Netanyahu alleged that Tehran was seeking to revive its nuclear programme and warned that the regime could pose an existential danger to Israel if it resumed uranium enrichment and accelerated the development of nuclear weapons.
"A narrow government, or a government that relies on supporters of terrorism, will not be able to achieve this monumental goal. But a national unity government can achieve it in time, thereby ensuring Israel’s security for many years to come," he said.
Calling on Eisenkot to engage in negotiations, Netanyahu urged him to set aside political differences and disagreements over possible coalition partners.
"Gadi, instead of trying to establish a shaky and dangerous government that will be unable to meet, even in part, the immense security and national challenges before us, let us do what is called for: Let us enter the room, without preconditions, set aside all our disagreements and all our boycotts, and reach agreements for Israel’s security and future, including on the issue of conscription, which can be resolved together with representatives of the Haredi public," Netanyahu said.
However, Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, rejected Netanyahu's overture, accusing the outgoing Prime Minister of attempting to create a political narrative around negotiations that were already in the works.
In a post on X, Eisenkot said the negotiating teams of Yesh Atid and Likud had already scheduled a meeting for the following day, making Netanyahu's public call for talks unnecessary.
"The outgoing prime minister’s statement to the media this evening, in which he called for a meeting to negotiate, is yet another spin move. After all, Netanyahu knows that such a meeting has already been scheduled," Eisenkot said.
He further accused Netanyahu of claiming to seek national unity while engaging in political divisiveness and said the Prime Minister's approach would not mislead Israeli citizens.
"Netanyahu calls for negotiations after they have already been scheduled, claims he wants unity, but disgraces a state ceremony in the Knesset and divides and incites as if there were no tomorrow," Eisenkot said.
"Nice try, but these tricks don’t work on me. And they don’t work on the citizens of Israel either," he added.
Eisenkot also made clear that his proposed national emergency government would be formed under his leadership and that any partnership with Likud would require acceptance of the principles he had outlined and a break with extremist political forces.
"For the avoidance of doubt, Netanyahu also knows that the conditions for joining an emergency government under my leadership are acceptance of the principles I have laid out and a break with the extremists," he said.
The political standoff comes after Netanyahu's bloc lost its parliamentary majority in last month's election, with Eisenkot receiving the mandate to form a government from Israeli President Isaac Herzog last week.
Eisenkot has ruled out partnering with Netanyahu but remains open to an arrangement with Likud without the outgoing Prime Minister, under his own leadership.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister and Religious Zionism Party chairman Bezalel Smotrich backed Netanyahu's appeal for political unity, urging Eisenkot to accept the offer.
In a post on X, Smotrich expressed hope that Netanyahu's proposal would receive a positive response, saying his party would support unity and national responsibility.
"I hope the prime minister’s outstretched hand will be met by a sister’s hand. Gadi, the time has come. Religious Zionism will be in the political arena exactly what it is on the battlefield--a spearhead of unity and national responsibility. Brothers, Jews. Time for unity," Smotrich said. (ANI)
Netanyahu calls for "unity government" talks with Eisenkot; Yashar leader dismisses offer as "another spin"
