Israel's political landscape entered a new phase on Tuesday as opposition leaders agreed to unite behind former military chief Gadi Eisenkot as their candidate to replace Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister.
The leaders of four Jewish opposition parties — Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Yair Golan and Avigdor Liberman — met in Herzliya, joined by Yair Lapid, and agreed to begin immediate coalition negotiations. Their stated objective is to replace Netanyahu's government with a national emergency government.
All four party leaders agreed to recommend Eisenkot to President Isaac Herzog, who begins consultations with parliamentary parties on Wednesday. Their negotiating teams will begin drafting coalition agreements and policy guidelines.
The opposition leaders also discussed replacing Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, a Likud member, with a candidate of their own. Yair Lapid is among those being considered for the position, with a final decision expected by Monday.
A separate meeting brought together Yair Golan and leaders of the Arab-led Joint List, Yousef Jabareen and Ahmad Tibi. The discussions focused on parliamentary coordination and the steps needed to use their combined parliamentary strength to replace Netanyahu's government. Both sides agreed to continue coordinating their next moves.
The parliamentary arithmetic gives these discussions particular significance. Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, the Jewish opposition parties won 48, and the Arab-led parties secured 19. A parliamentary majority requires 61 seats.
However, the opposition has not yet agreed on the participation of Arab parties in a future government. Golan has openly supported cooperation with them, while Liberman has rejected a government dependent on their parliamentary support. The question of the government's eventual composition remains unresolved.
For the moment, the opposition has agreed on its candidate, its immediate parliamentary strategy and the beginning of coalition negotiations. The next steps will determine whether that agreement can produce a new government.
For Israel, the possibility of a new political chapter is now on the table. The cooperation between Jewish and Arab political representatives, if it develops into a lasting parliamentary partnership, could mark a significant turn in the country's political history.
After years of division and confrontation, perhaps this is the beginning of turning a page.
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