Full Breakdown
Eisenkot Vows to Exclude Ra’am from Any Future Government
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
In a Channel 12 interview, Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party and main rival to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in next month’s election, declared that the Arab Ra’am party will not join a government he leads. He said no Arab or ultra-Orthodox party currently meets his criteria of supporting Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, endorsing the Declaration of Independence, enforcing universal conscription and recognizing Hamas as a terror organization.
Background & Context
Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of “breach of trust and treason” for approving Qatari payments to Gaza that, according to him, helped Hamas before the October 7, 2023, attack. He cited Shin Bet findings that Hamas’s military wing seized over $4 million from a $15 million Qatari transfer, while the remainder allegedly reached civilians and Hamas civil-worker accounts. Eisenkot also linked Netanyahu’s handling of the war to the death of roughly 1,200 Israelis and the kidnapping of 251 hostages.
Official Statements & Responses
Eisenkot reiterated that parties must accept his stated principles to be considered for coalition talks, and he warned that any breach of his promise to keep Ra’am out would require party members to resign. He contrasted this stance with Netanyahu’s denial of wrongdoing and noted that the Central Elections Committee has disqualified Ra’am and the Joint List from the election scheduled for October 27, though the High Court of Justice may intervene.
Criticism & Opposition
He called for leadership that would not bow to Netanyahu’s tactics.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Netanyahu blindly, arrogantly and irresponsibly led the State of Israel to the greatest disaster in its history,” — Gadi Eisenkot