Despite publicly rejecting the idea of a unity government, sources associated with Likud say Netanyahu is considering every possible option involving Eisenkot. According to the sources, Netanyahu fears that Eisenkot could join hands with Arab and ultra-Orthodox parties to remove him from power.
The Israeli parliament, known as the Knesset, has 120 members, and a minimum of 61 seats is required to form a government. Netanyahu’s alliance has been reduced to 53 seats, while the opposition camp led by Gadi Eisenkot has secured 48 seats.
The parliamentary election held in Israel on October 27, 2026, also saw two Arab-led parties collectively win 19 seats, marking a historic figure. The Joint List secured 11 seats, while Ra’am won eight. Their combined strength has increased significantly compared with 2022, when the two parties held only 10 seats.
A Jewish-Arab alliance involving Eisenkot’s bloc and the two Arab parties could command a total of 67 seats in the Knesset, enough to form a government. However, Netanyahu has already ruled out working with Arab parties.
Eisenkot has not ruled out the possibility of an arrangement, but his party has laid down conditions. One of the key conditions is that the Arab parties must declare Hamas a terrorist organisation and support the disarmament of the group.
Arab lawmakers could also extend support to the government from outside the coalition. For such an arrangement to work, at least six Arab members of parliament would need to vote in favour of the government.
With Netanyahu’s alliance falling short of the 61-seat majority and the opposition camp exploring possible combinations, negotiations over the next government have intensified. The possibility of an alliance involving Eisenkot and Arab parties remains a key factor in determining who will govern Israel following the election.
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