By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – The Opposition Yashar party chief Gadi Eisenkot on Thursday met with Chairman of Israel’s Democratic Party Yair Golan, reaffirmed their shared commitment to oust the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu-led coalition from power with no party or alliance secured a majority in the Israeli election.
Media reported that after counted 99% of votes, Netanyahu-led alliance has 53 seats, while Eisenkot-led bloc has 48.
Arab parties long considered “untouchable” in Israel’s politics have surged to record 19 seats.
Golan in a post on X highlighted their common backgrounds in national defence and emphasized the urgency of assembling a governing majority.
“Earlier today, I met with my friend Gadi Eisenkot. Both of us have devoted long years to Israel’s security, and both of us understand all too well the magnitude of the responsibility now placed upon us. Saving Israel is on the line,” he said.
The high-level meeting came as the opposition bloc works to navigate post-election arithmetic to form a coalition.
Golan underscored the alignment between the two military veterans-turned-politicians in securing a political transition.
“We are partners on this path and in the commitment to ensure a better future for Israel,” Golan wrote.
“I am determined to do everything required, with courage and responsibility, to realize the historic opportunity for change and to secure Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state.”
Golan assured supporters that negotiations would remain active, added “I will continue to update.”
Golan met with B’Yachad no. 2, Yair Lapid, as part of ongoing efforts to assemble a coalition and oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the post-election negotiations, as per media reports.
He reaffirmed his commitment to forming a government of change in coordination with opposition partners, amid Shin Bet probing allegations of possible foreign interference in the recently concluded Knesset elections as per his post on X.
“Just came out of a good meeting with my friend, Yair Lapid,” Golan wrote. “I am determined to make every effort, turn over every stone, and act with all our partners to save Israel.:
“We will continue to work in coordination. We will not give up on the opportunity for change,” Golan stated, adding, “We will do it, and we will succeed.”
The meetings came after Shin Bet (Israel’s Security Agency) probing allegations of possible foreign interference in the recently concluded Knesset elections.
“Netanyahu suffered a crushing democratic defeat. The public fired him, and he refuses to accept the verdict of the voters. Now he is trying to undermine the election results through an ugly delegitimisation campaign against the will of the public and against the Arab Israelis in particular,” Yair Golan posted on X.
Golan has vowed to make sure that Netanyahu “vacates the (Prime Minister’s) chair”.
He stated that any genuine suspicion regarding the damage to the integrity of elections must be “investigated to the end.”
Golan said that one must not forget that one of the “most serious Qatari involvements carried out in Netanyahu’s office” by his closest advisor.
Israel’s Acting Central Elections Committee Director General Dean Livne has firmly rejected allegations of widespread election fraud as baseless, insisted that Tuesday’s Knesset vote was conducted lawfully.
According to The Times of Israel, Livne dismissed the claims, confirming that no evidence supports allegations of systemic irregularities.
Qatar has strongly denied claims that it interfered in Israel’s elections, accused “certain Israeli politicians” of exploiting its name to serve domestic political interests and cover up their own failures.
