Netanyahu’s rival Eisenkot to form government: How could Israel’s political upheaval reshape its Iran-Gaza war strategy? | Today’s news

More than a week after Israel held elections shaped by the three-year war in Gaza and subsequent attacks on Iran, no political bloc managed to win a majority. On Saturday (local time), Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced that incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rival, Gadi Eisenkot, had been chosen to form the next government. The political upheaval could have implications for Israel’s future military strategy toward Iran and Gaza.

The move is seen as the first step toward removing Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, from office. According to AFP, Eisenkot, a former military chief and political newcomer, leads an opposition bloc and has sought to appeal to secular and liberal Israelis. With the opportunity to form the next government, Eisenkot opened the door to an unlikely alliance with ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties that could give the opposition bloc enough seats to form a coalition government.

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Eisenkot later vowed to make every effort to form a new government. He received the support of parties representing 67 lawmakers, compared to 46 lawmakers who supported Netanyahu’s bloc.

However, support for Eisenkot came from groups with different political positions. These included Arab parties, which saw significant electoral gains due to voter dissatisfaction with Netanyahu, as well as right-leaning opposition factions opposed to relying on Arab lawmakers to form a government.

Here’s what Herzog had to say

Herzog, who held consultations with all parties in the week after the October 27 election, said on Saturday that Eisenkot would get the first opportunity to form a government. The official meeting was scheduled for Sunday (local time), during an official ceremony at the president’s residence in Jerusalem, Herzog’s office said.

The Israeli president, who was once part of the now-defunct left-wing Labor Party and maintained a working relationship with Netanyahu, has indicated he would like to explore the possibility of a government of national unity that would unite Jewish Israelis across the political spectrum.

While Netanyahu, who has led the country for nearly two decades and faces corruption charges that could lead to jail time if he leaves office, has called for a unity government, the opposition bloc has made it clear it wants to remove him before agreeing to form a government of national unity.

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The possibility of Netanyahu’s departure raises questions about whether a change in leadership could also bring about a shift in Israel’s approach to its ongoing conflicts. With the war in Gaza and tensions with Iran shaping the country’s security priorities, much will depend on Eisenkot’s political alliances and his approach to regional security.

Can Netanyahu’s departure reshape Israel’s war strategy in Iran and Gaza?

According to a Reuters report on October 21, Israel is unlikely to see a major change in its war policy against Iran. Regional politicians and analysts suggest that Tehran will continue to be Tel Aviv’s main adversary and that military force will remain the government’s preferred tool. In the meantime, Palestinian statehood is likely to remain a distant prospect.

Analysts believe that the real difference will not be in the direction of the policy, but rather in its intensity. This includes how aggressively Israel conducts its military campaigns, how far it expands Jewish settlements in the West Bank and whether the future leader takes a different approach to democracy.

Palestinian analyst Ghassan al-Khatib told Reuters that Israel’s approach to the Palestinians is unlikely to undergo any fundamental change as political parties continue to compete by adopting tougher positions amid a rightward shift in public opinion.

Another Reuters report indicated that Netanyahu and Eisenkot share similar positions on opposition to an independent Palestinian state and maintaining a hard line on Gaza. Both have indicated they will resume military operations if Hamas, whose charter calls for the destruction of Israel, refuses to disarm.

However, it remains to be seen whether the Israeli-Arab parties that are part of Eisenkot’s opposition bloc can influence Eisenkot to adopt a more conciliatory approach to the Palestinians and seek a diplomatic solution to the ongoing conflict.