Leaders of Israel’s Jewish opposition parties are scheduled to meet on Tuesday for the first time since last week’s parliamentary elections, as they prepare to coordinate their strategy ahead of consultations on forming the country’s next government, Israeli media reported Monday.
According to the daily Yedioth Ahronoth, the meeting of the opposition’s change bloc will take place at 11:30 am local time at the Dan Acadia Hotel in Herzliya, central Israel. The discussions will focus on coordinating political efforts before President Isaac Herzog begins consultations with parliamentary factions.
The meeting is expected to include Gadi Eisenkot of Yashar, Naftali Bennett of Together, Avigdor Lieberman of Yisrael Beytenu, Yair Golan of the Democrats and opposition leader Yair Lapid, who heads Yesh Atid.
President Herzog is due to begin a two-day consultation process with parliamentary groups on Wednesday. Following these discussions, he will select a lawmaker to receive the mandate to form the next government.
Under Israel’s Basic Law, the designated candidate has 28 days to establish a governing coalition. The president may extend this period by an additional 14 days if necessary.
The recent elections resulted in a divided parliament, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political bloc securing 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset. Jewish opposition parties won 48 seats, while Arab political parties obtained the remaining 19. Neither side managed to achieve the 61 seats required for a parliamentary majority.
Eisenkot has already received the support of all 48 opposition lawmakers after the Democrats, Together and Yisrael Beytenu announced their intention to recommend him during the presidential consultations.
The two Arab parliamentary lists are also expected to support his nomination, potentially increasing his total recommendations to 67.
Such backing could improve Eisenkot’s chances of receiving the mandate to form a government. However, Israeli law does not require the president to appoint the candidate with the highest number of recommendations or the leader of the largest parliamentary party.
Even if Eisenkot receives the mandate, it would not automatically make him prime minister or ensure that he can secure enough support to establish a coalition.
A significant political challenge remains, as Lieberman has ruled out participating in any government that includes Arab parties or depends on their parliamentary support. This position could complicate efforts to transform the opposition’s combined electoral strength into a functioning governing coalition.
SEO Keywords
Israeli opposition, Israel elections 2026, Gadi Eisenkot, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli coalition talks, Isaac Herzog, Israeli parliament, Knesset elections, Arab parties Israel, government formation, Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid, Avigdor Lieberman
Meta Description
Israeli opposition leaders prepare for coalition talks as Gadi Eisenkot secures 48 lawmakers and expected Arab party backing could raise support to 67.
PRESS UPDATE