Eisenkot Unveils Agenda to Reverse Netanyahu's Policies as Israel's New Knesset Is Sworn In

On Tuesday, as Israel's new Knesset was sworn in, Gadi Eisenkot stood before the cameras and promised to undo many of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policies. Eisenkot, a former military chief, is the politician President Isaac Herzog has tasked with forming the next government. He has up to six weeks to do it, and success would end the tenure of Israel's longest-serving prime minister.

Whether he can assemble a coalition is still unclear. But the new parliament does not have to wait. It can legislate in the meantime, and Netanyahu's opponents now hold a solid majority in it. Eisenkot was tasked after securing the support of 67 lawmakers.

His bloc wasted no time. At the opening of the legislative session it introduced a set of bills aimed at Netanyahu and his record: an official, government-led inquiry into Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attacks; term limits for the office of prime minister; and a reversal of the changes the outgoing Netanyahu-led government made to limit the powers of the judiciary. How quickly or how far any of them will move in the coming weeks was not immediately clear.

The bloc also began the process of replacing the speaker. A majority of members submitted signatures calling for the removal of Amir Ohana, the Netanyahu-backed speaker, which is the first step toward a vote on a successor. That vote can happen even before any coalition government exists. The post matters because the speaker decides which bills the Knesset takes up. The opposition has nominated Matan Kahana, a senior member of Eisenkot's Yashar party, and a vote could come as early as this week.

The day's tone was set by two competing appeals to unity. Eisenkot, who campaigned as a no-nonsense straight shooter, said before the ceremony that his goal is a government all Israelis can trust, not one serving select factions. "We will act for all citizens of Israel, those who voted for us and those who did not," he said, citing deep commitment.

Netanyahu, speaking after the ceremony, took a different line. His bloc fell short of a majority, and he has sought to undermine the certified results, repeating unsubstantiated claims that Arab-led parties "stole" the elections. He again said Arab politicians, who represent a minority making up 20% of Israel's population, cannot be trusted, and he attacked Jewish opposition leaders open to partnering with Arab parties. Eisenkot has left that door ajar on conditions, among them acceptance of Israel's identity as a Jewish state and a declaration that Hamas is a terrorist group. "Are you prepared to be dependent on those whose goal is the destruction of the Jewish state?" Netanyahu asked.

Eisenkot called the speech divisive and hate-filled, and said it left him even more convinced that Netanyahu is unfit to remain in office for even one more minute. He added that he had cancelled a meeting with Netanyahu's Likud party that was planned for Wednesday because of it.

The result is an unusual transition. Netanyahu and his Cabinet stay in power as a caretaker government, while the new lawmakers can pass legislation. Netanyahu faces court-imposed limits on his powers, though he can still make appointments and could try to block new bills. He keeps full authority over national security, including the military. He has urged Jewish-led parties to form a unity government to counter the threat of an Iranian attack, asking them to set aside all other considerations, and said Israel should work to topple Iran's government.

The stakes for him are personal as well as political. A coalition without him could leave him exposed as he faces an ongoing corruption trial and possible findings of security failures before Oct. 7. Eisenkot now meets party leaders to build a majority; if he fails, Herzog is expected to give Netanyahu the next chance. The first thing to watch is the vote on Kahana as speaker.