Israeli opposition seeks coalition to oust Netanyahu as Arab parties hold balance

Israeli opposition leaders are working to build a governing coalition capable of replacing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following an inconclusive national election, though internal disagreements over partnering with Arab factions remain a key obstacle.

Five opposition party chiefs convened on Tuesday at a hotel in the coastal tech center of Herzliya, where former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot resides, marking their first joint strategic consultation since the vote took place a week earlier. The bloc, under the leadership of Eisenkot, aims to move swiftly to assemble an administration.

Following the discussions, the five leaders released a joint statement emphasizing their commitment to establishing a new cabinet without delay. They declared that their primary objective is to set up a viable government as rapidly as possible while avoiding plunging the country into yet another round of balloting.

Despite that stated ambition, the path to a functioning majority remains complicated. Parliamentary arithmetic shows Netanyahu commanding 53 seats, while the diverse opposition faction holds 48 seats. Because neither camp has reached the threshold required to govern independently, Arab-majority parties, which together control 19 seats, have emerged as pivotal power brokers.

Reaching an agreement that includes or relies on those 19 lawmakers continues to divide the opposition. Disagreements over whether to formally partner with Arab representatives have left the bloc without a clear blueprint for assembling the numbers needed to unseat the prime minister.

With both major camps short of a clear majority, negotiations are expected to persist as party heads attempt to resolve internal friction and prevent an extended political deadlock.