Arab-Israeli Party Endorses Eisenkot to Form New Government
Raam backed Gadi Eisenkot to form Israel’s next government, as Eisenkot pledged to deepen US ties and Netanyahu claimed foreign interference in the election.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - A leading Arab-Israeli party said on Wednesday that it would recommend opposition bloc leader Gadi Eisenkot to form the next government following last week’s election in Israel, adding momentum to a day of political maneuvering that also saw Eisenkot court Washington and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raise suspicions of foreign meddling.
The party, known by its Hebrew acronym Raam, announced its position in a press statement ahead of a meeting with President Isaac Herzog, who is consulting with various political forces on the formation of a new government.
“The parliamentary group of the United Arab List has decided to recommend Eisenkot to form the next government,” the party said in the statement.
Eisenkot, for his part, vowed on Wednesday to strengthen ties with the United States if he is selected as prime minister, saying he would work with US President Donald Trump to stabilize the Middle East.
“Under my leadership, we will renew and deepen that partnership, strengthen the bipartisan foundations that have long sustained it,” Eisenkot said.
He added that he looked forward to working with Trump to “advance our shared security interests, strengthen regional stability, and open new doors to prosperity for the peoples of the Middle East.”
Netanyahu, meanwhile, voiced “serious suspicions” of foreign interference in last week’s election, as the president began consultations to appoint a candidate to form a government.
“There are serious suspicions that foreign states have spent considerable sums to influence the outcome of the elections in Israel,” Netanyahu said in a video, speaking in front of an Israeli flag and the slogan “Prime Minister’s Office.”
With consultations under way, the choice of a candidate to form Israel’s next government now rests with Herzog.