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

On Tuesday, as Israel's newly elected lawmakers took their oaths in the Knesset, Gadi Eisenkot, the former military chief now charged with forming the next government, promised to undo many of Benjamin Netanyahu's policies. "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 swearing-in ceremony. He described his goal as a government that all Israelis can trust, rather than one serving only certain factions.

Eisenkot 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 not yet clear. In the meantime, the new Knesset 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's Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. Another would set term limits for the prime minister. A third would overturn the changes the outgoing Netanyahu-led government made to limit 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 moved to take control of the machinery that decides what gets debated. 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 his replacement, and the vote can happen even before a coalition government exists. The speaker decides which bills the Knesset takes up, so a speaker from the opposition ranks could 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.

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, repeating unsubstantiated claims that Arab-led parties "stole" the elections. 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 willingness to partner with Arab parties. Eisenkot has left that door open if those parties meet several conditions, among them accepting Israel's identity as a Jewish state and declaring 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," and added: "I am now even more convinced that he is unfit to remain in office for even one more minute."

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 is bound by court-imposed limits on his powers, but he can still pursue appointments and could try to block new legislation. 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, renewing that call Tuesday by asking them to "set aside all other considerations" and saying Israel should work to topple the Iranian government.

Eisenkot, meanwhile, will meet party leaders as he tries to build a coalition. If he fails, President Isaac Herzog is expected to give Netanyahu the next chance. A government without Netanyahu could leave him politically exposed, given his ongoing corruption trial and possible findings of security failures before Oct. 7. The speaker vote this week and the coalition talks that follow will show which way this goes.