Netanyahu calls for unity govt, Gadi dismisses as 'tricks'

A meeting with Eisenkot on Thursday “only strengthened the conviction that it is essential to form a national unity government” to guarantee Israel’s security, Netanyahu said in a video statement, adding that such a government could “eliminate the Iranian threat once and for all.”He said this government would be made up of parties that recognize Israel “as a state for the Jewish people.”It would address security challenges, he added, most notably Iran which he claimed would “not hesitate to use nuclear weapons against us.”The outgoing prime minister warned against Eisenkot’s plan to form a minority government, presented as a “national emergency government.”Such a plan would see the 48 lawmakers in Eisenkot’s bloc vote in favor of his government, against the 46 Netanyahu backers.

The 26 other members of parliament, from Arab and ultra-Orthodox parties, could abstain, allowing the government to be approved without an absolute majority in the Knesset, which has 120 seats.

“Instead of trying to form a weak and dangerous government... let’s meet in one room, without preconditions, put aside all our disagreements and all the boycotts, and reach agreements for the security and the future of the state,” Netanyahu urged.

Minutes later, Eisenkot responded by saying Netanyahu “knows he lost the election,” accusing him of playing “tricks” by appealing for a unity government.

“Netanyahu is calling for negotiations while they are already underway; he claims to want unity but... sows division and stokes tensions as if there were no tomorrow,” the former army chief said, adding that “these tricks don’t work on me.”