Iran's Ghost Haunts Negotiations as Netanyahu Disrupts Eisenkot's Mandate

The Israeli government is witnessing political tensions and polarization at a time when the formation of the new government still faces challenges.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the formation of a national unity government including Zionist parties and ultra-Orthodox religious parties, considering that the current stage requires unifying ranks to face security challenges, foremost among them what he described as the "existential" Iranian threat.

The call came in a video statement published by Netanyahu on Monday, November 9, 2026, after Israeli President Isaac Herzog tasked Yesh Atid party leader and opposition figure Gadi Eisenkot with forming the new government, following elections that did not grant any camp a parliamentary majority.

He also announced his readiness to begin immediate negotiations with any party willing to discuss his proposal.

The Israeli Prime Minister linked his call for unity to the necessity of confronting Iran, considering that forming a government relying on Arab and Islamic parties would not be capable of dealing with security threats.

He said that the desired unity government would work to permanently remove the Iranian nuclear threat, preserve Israel as a Jewish state, and achieve internal unity. These are goals announced by Netanyahu, not results already achieved.

Eisenkot Opens October 7 File

In turn, Gadi Eisenkot's party announced on Tuesday the submission of a bill to establish a committee to investigate the failures that allowed the Hamas movement's attack on October 7, 2023, a step long opposed by Netanyahu.

Eisenkot-led Yesh Atid party stated that it submitted, along with other parties, "a set of bills," which also include the comprehensive cancellation of the controversial judicial reforms proposed by Netanyahu before the 2023 attack, which led to the outbreak of some of the largest protests in Israel's history.

The submission of the bill coincided with the opening of the new Israeli Knesset, within a legislative package announced by Eisenkot's camp, targeting also imposing restrictions on the duration of holding the prime minister position and canceling a number of legislations passed by Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

Ben Gvir Stirs Chaos in the Knesset

The inaugural session of the Israeli Knesset today, Tuesday, witnessed a heated debate after Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir directed an accusation against Arab MP and head of the Joint List Youssef Jabareen during the swearing-in ceremony of Knesset members.

"To whom do you pledge allegiance? To Hamas?" With this phrase, Ben Gvir interrupted Jabareen while he was reciting "I swear" during the oath-taking, causing an uproar inside the parliament hall.

According to Israeli reports, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana intervened to stop the interruptions, warning MPs that he would expel anyone who disrupts the swearing-in ceremony without prior warning.

Ben Gvir's statements came amid a political dispute regarding the stance of Arab parties towards the Hamas movement, after Jabareen refused in previous statements to describe the movement as a terrorist organization, affirming his party's condemnation of the October 7 events and rejection of targeting civilians, stressing the rejection of killing civilians from any side.

Tension also escalated during the session after Arab Knesset members left the hall during the playing of the Israeli anthem "Hatikvah," before returning after it ended, which provoked objections from other MPs.

Ben Gvir's statements were not limited to MP Jabareen, as he accused Arab MPs generally of supporting Hamas and Hezbollah, in statements that sparked reactions and criticism within the Knesset.

This escalation comes at a time when Israel is experiencing complex political negotiations to form the new government, amidst disagreements regarding the possibility of enlisting Arab parties to secure a parliamentary majority.