Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot stated he would not serve in a government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; he told the 103FM radio station on Wednesday, in what appeared to be his first explicit rejection of such a coalition arrangement.
The former IDF chief of staff ruled out serving under Netanyahu even as part of a rotation agreement for the premiership, saying he would resign if such an arrangement were reached.
"Absolutely not. I will not serve under Netanyahu, not even in a rotation agreement. If that happens, you'll see it; I'll resign an hour later," Eisenkot said.
Eisenkot has previously served under Netanyahu after the October 7 massacre, when he, Benny Gantz, Gideon Sa’ar, Chili Tropper, and Yifat Shasha-Biton joined Israel’s emergency government as ministers without portfolio. His party is currently polling at around 23, leading in Israel's surveys, but the opposition bloc has not managed to secure 61 seats without the inclusion of the Arab parties, which he has also opposed partnering with.
Eisenkot, Liberman meet to prepare for elections
On Tuesday, Eisenkot met with Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman to discuss preparations for the upcoming Knesset election, following a public dispute between the two last week, according to a joint statement issued by their parties.
"Eisenkot and Liberman agreed that the most important effort at this stage is to increase voter turnout in the election," the statement said.
The meeting followed tensions that emerged during a Yisrael Beytenu election campaign headquarters meeting last Wednesday, when a heated internal dispute developed over the conduct of the party's partners in the opposition bloc and their strategy ahead of the election.
Yisrael Beytenu faction chairman MK Oded Forer sharply criticized Eisenkot and Democrats chairman Yair Golan, raising concerns that the two were leaving open the possibility of future cooperation with Ra'am and even Agudat Yisrael.
According to Forer, Yisrael Beytenu approached all its partners in the opposition bloc earlier that week and proposed issuing a joint declaration by the opposition leaders, including
a commitment by the bloc's leaders to establish a coalition consisting exclusively of Zionist parties.
However, Forer said representatives of Eisenkot and Golan objected to that wording, proposing instead a commitment to establish a "coalition of those who serve" - a government composed of parties that support military or civilian national service.
"Is this a hint that Eisenkot and Yair Golan have an agreement with Ra'am?" Forer asked. "After all, Mansour Abbas supports integrating Arab Israelis into civilian national service."
Additionally, Liberman wrote on social media last week that his party would not support a minority government after the election, even as a transitional arrangement.
"In recent days, I have been asked several times about a national unity government," Liberman said.
"Our position is clear and unequivocal: We will establish a coalition composed exclusively of Zionist parties. Without Ra'am, without the Joint List, without Shas, and without United Torah Judaism."