Leaders of Israel’s main opposition bloc will gather in Herzliya to discuss their next steps following the parliamentary election on October 27. This will be their first meeting since the vote, which gave neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s camp nor the opposition, led by Gadi Eisenkot, a parliamentary majority.
“The leaders of the ‘change bloc’ will meet in Herzliya to discuss and coordinate their next steps,” said a statement from Eisenkot’s Yashar party.
According to the distribution of seats, Netanyahu’s bloc has 53 seats, while the opposition camp has 48. The Arab parties won a record 19 seats. A majority in the 120-seat Knesset requires 61 votes, making the Arab parties a potential decisive factor. The balance of power has also been confirmed by international media, which described the result as a parliament without a clear winner.
The Arab parties hold the key to a majority
However, there is no unified position within the opposition bloc on how their support could be sought. Left-wing leader Yair Golan supports an alliance with the Arab parties. Right-wing politician Avigdor Lieberman is firmly opposed to such a possibility.
Yashar appears to be distancing itself from a formal alliance with the Arab parties, without explicitly ruling out their support. Despite their differences, the political forces in the opposition camp have stated that they will ask President Isaac Herzog to task Gadi Eisenkot with forming a government. The Arab parties have also signaled that they support this intention.
The president begins consultations
Isaac Herzog will hold consultations with representatives of the parties represented in parliament on Wednesday and Thursday. He must then choose the candidate whom he believes has the best chance of forming a government. The deadline for his decision is November 11.
The designated candidate will have 28 days to negotiate a coalition capable of winning a vote of confidence in the Knesset. The period may be extended by another 14 days. If the first attempt fails, the president may task another candidate with forming a government for a new 28-day period. The procedural rules also provide for the possibility of transferring the mandate to parliament if the political negotiations do not produce a solution.
If the deadlock continues, the Knesset may be dissolved and new parliamentary elections held within 90 days. Until then, the current government will continue to carry out its functions.
Sources: bta.bg, apnews.com