Backed by 67 Knesset members, Eisenkot nears Israel PM post
The opposition is courting ultra-Orthodox parties with 13 seats to avoid relying entirely on Arab-party support.
Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot now has the backing of 67 Knesset members to form a government, after the Joint List and earlier Ra'am supported him as prime minister. That support puts Eisenkot ahead of Benjamin Netanyahu, who received only 46 recommendations to President Isaac Herzog. Even so, the path to a coalition is not complete. Eisenkot's camp is still lobbying ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties that hold 13 seats to strengthen the chances of forming a new cabinet. The effort comes because cooperation with Arab-Israeli parties is still opposed by some opposition partners, including Avigdor Liberman. In consultations, the Joint List said its support was intended to prevent Netanyahu from returning to power, amid criticism over incitement against Arab citizens and settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.