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

On Tuesday in Tel Aviv, as Israel's newly elected Knesset was sworn in, Gadi Eisenkot said he would act for all of the country's citizens, "those who voted for us and those who did not." Eisenkot is the former military chief now tasked with forming the next government, and he used the day to pledge a reversal of many of Benjamin Netanyahu's policies.

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

Eisenkot's bloc moved quickly. At the start of the session it introduced a series of bills aimed at Netanyahu and his record. They would launch an official, government-led inquiry into Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, set term limits on the office of prime minister, and 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 in the coming weeks.

The bloc also began the process of replacing the parliamentary speaker. A majority of members submitted signatures calling for the removal of the current speaker, Amir Ohana, who is backed by Netanyahu. That is the first step toward a vote on a successor, and it can happen before any coalition government exists. The speaker decides which bills the Knesset takes up, so a speaker from the opposition ranks could move its agenda along. 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 tone between the two camps was sharp. Netanyahu has tried to undermine the certified election results after his bloc fell short of a majority, and he has repeated unsubstantiated claims that Arab-led parties "stole" the election. 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 attacked Jewish opposition leaders who have signaled openness to partnering with Arab parties, asking whether they were prepared to depend on those whose goal, he said, is the destruction of the Jewish state.

Eisenkot has left that door open, on conditions that include accepting Israel's identity as a Jewish state and declaring Hamas a terrorist group. He called Netanyahu's 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." Eisenkot, who campaigned as a no-nonsense straight shooter, said his goal is a government all Israelis can trust rather than one serving only certain factions.

The swearing-in opens an unusual transitional stretch. Netanyahu and his Cabinet stay in power as a caretaker government, while the new lawmakers can introduce legislation. Netanyahu faces court-imposed limits on his powers, but he can still pursue appointments and could try to block new legislation. He retains full authority over national security, including the military. He renewed his call for Jewish-led parties to form a unity government to counter the threat of an Iranian attack, urging them to set aside all other considerations, and said Israel should work to topple the Iranian government.

Eisenkot will now meet with party leaders as he works to build his coalition. If he fails, President Isaac Herzog is expected to give Netanyahu the next chance to form a government. The first test may come this week, with the vote on whether Kahana replaces Ohana.