Israeli channel reports proposed Netanyahu-Eisenkot power-sharing deal

An Israeli television channel reported Wednesday that a power-sharing deal is taking shape under which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would lead the next government for two years before handing power to opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot in exchange for retiring from politics and receiving a full pardon in connection with his ongoing corruption cases.

Israel’s Channel 14 reported that President Isaac Herzog is currently seeking to advance the proposed arrangement, which could pave the way for the formation of the next government following Tuesday’s inconclusive parliamentary elections.

According to Channel 14, Herzog has been promoting the arrangement for two years, well before the election campaign and the announcement of the results.

The channel suggested that the proposal could become a viable option if the current distribution of parliamentary seats remains unchanged.

It added that Netanyahu would likely insist on serving as prime minister during the first two years to continue working alongside US President Donald Trump.

Herzog’s office categorically denied the report, however, describing it as “a complete lie.”

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“It never happened. We do not engage in speculation regarding the process of assigning the task of forming a government,” the office said.

It added that the official election results would not be presented to the president until next Wednesday, after which Herzog would begin consultations with parliamentary factions in accordance with his constitutional authority.

Preliminary results released Wednesday evening, with 85% of the votes counted excluding special ballots, showed Netanyahu’s bloc securing 53 seats compared with 48 for the opposition bloc led by Eisenkot, the leader of the Yashar party, while Arab parties won 19 seats, according to Israel’s Channel 12.

The results leave all sides short of the 61 seats required to secure a majority in the 120-member Knesset.

Vote counting remains underway, including special ballots cast by soldiers, prisoners, diplomats and hospitalized voters.

The Central Elections Committee said Tuesday that voter turnout reached 77.7%, up 7.1 percentage points from the 2022 elections and the highest since 1999.

Netanyahu has been on trial for years on corruption charges involving bribery, fraud and breach of trust.

He is also wanted by the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes in the Gaza Strip.

He has led a far-right government since late 2022, widely described as the most extreme in Israel’s history.

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