The Media Line: Netanyahu, Eisenkot Set for Coalition Talks as Change Bloc Moves To Reverse Judicial Reform  

Netanyahu, Eisenkot Set for Coalition Talks as Change Bloc Moves To Reverse Judicial Reform  

By The Media Line Staff  

Negotiators from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party are scheduled to meet Sunday to discuss forming a national unity government, although disagreements over who would serve as prime minister remain unresolved.  

The meeting was arranged before Netanyahu publicly urged Eisenkot to begin coalition talks without preconditions. In a departure from his previous proposals, Netanyahu did not explicitly demand to serve first as prime minister under a rotation agreement.  

Eisenkot, whom President Isaac Herzog tasked with forming a government after Netanyahu’s bloc lost its parliamentary majority, intends to offer Likud a place in a coalition under his leadership, without a rotation agreement.  

Netanyahu has called for political differences to be set aside in the interest of national security, particularly regarding Iran. His proposed government would include the ultra-Orthodox parties, with arrangements for military conscription to be negotiated later.  

The talks come as Eisenkot’s Change Bloc prepares for parliamentary votes that could give it greater control over the Knesset and allow it to advance legislation.  

A vote to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana is scheduled for Tuesday, with Yashar lawmaker Matan Kahana nominated for the position. Netanyahu is seeking to persuade United Torah Judaism to oppose Kahana’s appointment, while the ultra-Orthodox parties are withholding their support as negotiations continue.  

Their position is also central to Eisenkot’s coalition plans, particularly after Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman ruled out joining a government alongside Arab parties.  

United Torah Judaism lawmaker Yitzhak Pindrus told Meet the Press that Shas could eventually join a coalition if an agreement is reached over the status of yeshiva students. Although Shas has denied plans to participate, Pindrus suggested it could enter at a later stage or provide outside support.  

On Wednesday, the Change bloc plans to advance bills repealing legislation affecting the attorney general’s authority and the composition of the Judicial Selection Committee. It is seeking to reverse several measures introduced under the previous government’s judicial reform program, including legislation limiting the attorney general’s authority and changes to the Judicial Selection Committee that increased political influence over judicial appointments.   

The Change bloc also plans to repeal legislation removing the Police Internal Investigations Department (Mahash) from the State Attorney’s Office and overturn changes to broadcast media regulations.