Netanyahu Proposes a Broad National Government Under His Leadership: Open to Dialogue, but No Reliance on Arab Parties
Jerusalem — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a statement posted on social media on the evening of November 2, proposed forming a broad national government under his leadership, saying he was open to dialogue with any party that does not support terrorism while ruling out a government that depends on Arab parties.
Netanyahu said Likud had emerged as the most-voted party and that a clear majority of Jewish voters had chosen Likud and him as prime minister to lead the next government. 'From day one, our hand has been extended to establish a broad national Government,' he said.
He added that the Israeli public does not want a government dependent on Ra'am and the Joint List, accusing the two Arab-led parties of supporting terrorism and denying the existence of the Jewish state. Arab party leaders reject that characterization; Arab Israeli leaders unanimously condemned the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack.
The seat arithmetic does not favor Netanyahu: after the October 27 election, his bloc holds 53 of the Knesset's 120 seats, including 27 for Likud, eight short of the 61 needed to form a government, while the opposition camp led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot holds 48 and the Arab parties' 19 seats make them potential kingmakers. In the parties' recommendations to President Isaac Herzog, 67 seats backed tasking Eisenkot with forming a government and only 46 backed Netanyahu, and all four opposition parties have ruled out joining a government under him. Herzog has postponed his decision on the mandate until November 8.
Netanyahu also made clear he will not abandon his existing right-wing partners, naming Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich: his proposed broad government would combine those allies with other parties willing to join on agreed terms. Eisenkot, for his part, has set out his own principles for partners, including recognition of Israel as a Jewish, democratic, liberal and egalitarian state and military or national service for all citizens.
(Source: Likud)
Source: Likud
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：特朗普与内塔尼亚胡在白宫椭圆形办公室会面（2025年2月4日，白宫官方照片，资料图）。图片：Dan Scavino，白宫官方摄影，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu in the Oval Office on February 4, 2025 (file photo). Official White House photo by Dan Scavino, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
- 2026-10-19Ahead of Next Week's Israeli Election, Polls Put Eisenkot's Bloc at 52 Seats to Netanyahu's 50; Arab Turnout Could Decide Who Governs
- 2026-10-19Hegseth Meets Netanyahu on Unannounced Israel Visit, as Vance Declines to Endorse Netanyahu the Same Day
- 2026-10-20Trump Gives Netanyahu His Complete and Total Endorsement Ahead of Israel's Oct. 27 Election, With a Warning to Iran
- 2026-10-21Bank of Israel Holds Benchmark Rate at 3.25%, Pausing After Three Straight Cuts a Week Before the Election; 2026 Growth Forecast at 5.6%
- 2026-10-26Follow-up: On Election Eve, Netanyahu Touts Trump's Endorsement and Says He Ordered Mossad and IDF to Bring Down Iran's Regime; Rival Cites Fear-Mongering
- 2026-10-27Israel Holds Knesset Election on October 27: 7.33 Million Voters, 12,018 Polling Stations Open Until 10 p.m.
- 2026-10-27Follow-Up: Israel Election Turnout Fastest in 49 Years as 31.5% Vote in First Five Hours; Shekel Jumps Nearly 1% to a Three-Week High
- 2026-10-27Follow-Up: Israel Exit Polls Put Likud First With 25 Seats, but Neither Bloc Reaches the 61 Seats Needed to Govern
- 2026-10-28Follow-up: With Over 70% of Votes Counted in Israel's Election, Netanyahu Bloc Projected at 54 Seats, Still Short of a Majority; Shekel Falls About 2%
- 2026-10-28Follow-Up: With About 86% Counted, Likud Leads Israel Election With 26 Seats but Neither Bloc Has a Majority; Herzog Urges Parties to Avoid Another Election
- 2026-10-29Follow-Up: Israel's Election Chief Asks Shin Bet to Probe Suspected Foreign Interference Within a Week Amid Qatar Funding Claims
- 2026-10-30Israel's Final Election Results: Netanyahu's Bloc Falls Short at 53 Seats, Arab Parties Hold the Balance With 19
- 2026-11-02Follow-Up: Israel's Arab Parties Set to Back Eisenkot to Form a Government, Lifting His Support to 67 Seats
- 2026-11-02Netanyahu Proposes a Broad National Government Under His Leadership: Open to Dialogue, but No Reliance on Arab PartiesThis story
- 2026-11-03Follow-Up: Israel's Five Opposition Parties Agree to Recommend Eisenkot to Form the Government
- 2026-11-04President Herzog Receives Israel's Official Election Results and Opens Coalition Consultations, Smallest Parties First
- 2026-11-04Follow-Up: Security Alert at Israel's President's Residence on First Day of Coalition Consultations: Foreign Journalist Flagged for Suspicious Substance Traces, Entry Briefly Halted
- 2026-11-04Israel's Herzog Backs Attorney General as Shin Bet Bid to Question Arab Lawmakers Over Election Interference Is Rejected
- 2026-11-05Follow-Up: Ultra-Orthodox Party Withholds Recommendation as Arab Party Backs Eisenkot, Weakening Netanyahu
- 2026-11-05Follow-Up: Joint List Backs Eisenkot, Taking His Endorsements to 67 Against Netanyahu's 46
- 2026-11-05Israel's President Herzog Puts Off Choice of Premier-Designate Until Sunday Despite Eisenkot's 67 Endorsements to Netanyahu's 46
