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

On Tuesday, as Israel's new Knesset members were sworn in, Gadi Eisenkot stood before them and promised to undo many of Benjamin Netanyahu's policies. Eisenkot, a former military chief, is the politician charged with forming the next government. "We will act for all citizens of Israel, those who voted for us and those who did not, out of deep commitment," he said before the ceremony.

He 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 it remains unclear. In the meantime, the new parliament can legislate, and Netanyahu's opponents now hold a solid majority in it.

Eisenkot's bloc used the opening of the session to introduce a series of bills aimed at Netanyahu and his policies. One would launch an official, government-led inquiry into Hamas' attacks of Oct. 7, 2023. Another would set term limits on the office of prime minister. A third would overturn 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 these would advance in the coming weeks.

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

Netanyahu's response was sharp. His bloc fell short of a majority, and he has sought to undermine the certified election results, repeating unsubstantiated claims that Arab-led parties "stole" the election. In a speech after the ceremony, he went after opposition leaders who have signaled openness to partnering with Arab parties. Eisenkot has left that door open on conditions, including that the parties accept Israel's identity as a Jewish state and declare Hamas a terrorist group. "I ask you: Are you prepared to be dependent on those whose goal is the destruction of the Jewish state?" Netanyahu said. Eisenkot called the speech "divisive" and "hate-filled."

The swearing-in begins an unusual interval in Israeli politics. Netanyahu and his cabinet stay in power as a caretaker government, while the new lawmakers can introduce legislation. The court has imposed limits on what a caretaker Netanyahu may do, but he can still pursue appointments and could try to block new legislation. He keeps full authority over national security, including the military.

Netanyahu also renewed his argument that Jewish-led parties should form a unity government to counter the threat of an Iranian attack, urging them to "set aside all other considerations." He said Israel should work to topple the Iranian government.

Eisenkot now turns to meetings with party leaders. If he fails to put together a coalition, President Isaac Herzog is expected to give Netanyahu the next chance. The first test may come this week, in the vote on whether Kahana replaces Ohana as speaker.