Overview
- Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday urged formation of a national unity government that would exclude Arab parties and framed the move as needed to confront an alleged reactivation of Iran’s nuclear program.
- Gadi Eisenkot rejected the offer as a “farol” and publicly condemned efforts to link Arab legislators to Hamas as racist and divisive.
- Eisenkot holds the presidential mandate to form a cabinet with the public backing of 67 deputies, including the 19 seats won by Arab-majority parties, and has 28 days to build a government.
- Eisenkot challenged Netanyahu to demonstrate good faith by supporting Matán Kahana in the Knesset speaker vote scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, 2026, calling that contest a near-term test of coalition commitments.
- Negotiation teams from Likud and Yashar! are set to meet on Sunday, November 15, and the talks will determine whether a minority cabinet relying on external Arab-party support moves forward and how disputes such as Haredi conscription and security policy are resolved.