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

On Tuesday, as Israel's newly elected lawmakers took their oaths in the Knesset, Gadi Eisenkot stood before them as the man charged with forming the next government and promised to undo much of what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has put in place. Eisenkot, a former military chief, has up to six weeks to assemble a coalition that would end the tenure of Israel's longest-serving prime minister.

Whether he can do that is not yet clear. But the swearing-in opens an unusual stretch in Israeli politics, because the new Knesset can legislate even before any coalition exists. Netanyahu's opponents now hold a solid majority in parliament, and Eisenkot's bloc moved immediately to use it, introducing bills at the opening of the session that aim at Netanyahu and his policies. One would launch an official, government-led inquiry into the Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, 2023. Another would set term limits on the office of prime minister. A third would overturn the changes the outgoing Netanyahu-led government made to curb the powers of the judiciary. It was not immediately clear how quickly or how far any of them would advance.

The bloc also began a process to replace the Knesset speaker, Amir Ohana, who is backed by Netanyahu. A majority of members submitted signatures calling for his removal, the first step toward a vote on a successor, and that vote can happen without a coalition government in place. The post carries real weight: the speaker decides which bills the Knesset takes up, so a speaker from the opposition parties could move their agenda along. They nominated Matan Kahana, a senior member of Eisenkot's Yashar party, and a vote could come as early as this week.

The day's rhetoric was sharply divided. Ahead of the ceremony, Eisenkot, who campaigned as a no-nonsense straight shooter, said his aim is a government all Israelis can trust rather than one serving particular factions. "We will act for all citizens of Israel, those who voted for us and those who did not," he said, citing a deep commitment.

Netanyahu, whose bloc fell short of a majority, has sought to undermine the certified election results and has repeated unsubstantiated claims that Arab-led parties "stole" the vote. In a speech after the ceremony, he said Arab politicians, who represent a minority making up 20% of Israel's population, cannot be trusted. He also went after Jewish opposition leaders who have signaled openness to partnering with Arab parties. Eisenkot has left that door ajar on conditions that include accepting Israel's identity as a Jewish state and declaring Hamas 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 later said he had canceled a meeting with Netanyahu's Likud party that had been planned for Wednesday because of it.

For now, Netanyahu and his Cabinet remain in power as a caretaker government. Court-imposed limits constrain him, but he can still pursue appointments and could try to block new legislation, and he keeps full authority over national security, including the military. He has argued that Jewish-led parties should form a unity government to meet the threat of an Iranian attack, renewing that appeal Tuesday by urging them to set aside all other considerations, and saying Israel should work to topple Iran's government.

Eisenkot will now meet with party leaders to build a coalition that would likely make him prime minister. If he fails, President Isaac Herzog is expected to give Netanyahu the next chance to form a government. A coalition without Netanyahu could leave him exposed, as he faces an ongoing corruption trial and possible findings of security failures before Oct. 7. The speaker vote this week, and the question of Arab-party support, are the next things to watch.