Overview
- Eisenkot holds the presidential mandate to form a government and says he has the backing of 67 Knesset deputies, including 19 seats from Arab parties that could provide a working majority.
- Netanyahu on Saturday urged a national unity government that excludes Arab parties, citing a revived Iranian nuclear threat and arguing Arab support would weaken security decision making.
- Eisenkot called Netanyahu’s offer a bluff and on Sunday pressed the premier and allies to prove seriousness by backing Matán Kahana in a planned Knesset speaker vote scheduled for Tuesday.
- Negotiation teams from Likud and Yashar! were reported to meet on Sunday as both sides use parliamentary procedures to try to shape coalition options and public narratives.
- Defense Minister Israel Katz publicly said the government does not need opposition or judicial approval to order selective military actions, a statement that raises the short‑term risk of unilateral operations and heightens pressure on coalition talks.