Eisenkot Considers Minority Government as Election Campaign Heats Up

In an interview, Gadi Eisenkot said he is preparing a contingency plan to lead Israel's first post‑election minority government if his Yashar party does not reach the 61‑seat threshold. He said he would ask the 120‑member Knesset to vote according to conscience, and experts note that a simple majority can sustain a minority cabinet, citing past experiences. Meanwhile, the election campaign has seen Benjamin Netanyahu portray Eisenkot as a pro‑statehood candidate, sharing a video of himself shaking hands with the late Yasser Arafat. Eisenkot responded on X that no Palestinian state would be created under his government and pledged to draft ultra‑Orthodox youths, while accusing Netanyahu of weakness toward Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.