The Arab opposition of Israel Ream is ready to give Eisenkot a chance to oust Netanyahu from the majority Palestinian and Bedouin party Ream, which won 8 seats in the Israeli parliamentary elections last weeks, announced that it will recommend opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot as a candidate to form the next government. Rames' support will bring the Eisenkot coalition to 56 seats, five less than the 61 seats needed to establish a governing coalition. However, the Joint List, Israel's other Arab opposition force, is also "likely" to recommend Eisenkot, MP Ofer Caspif told Anadolu. Having both forces in his camp would give the Eisenkot bloc a comfortable majority of 67 seats. However, several of his other allies, including Avigdor Lieberman and the 7-seat Yisrael Beitenu party, have vowed to reject any coalition agreement with Arab parties (Lieberman, a former Netanyahu ally, has also rejected any deal with Likud). Eisenkot conditioned the cooperation with Ream on the willingness to support mandatory national service, and on the explicit recognition of Israel as a "Jewish state" - a concept that has traditionally been rejected because it relegates 20%+ of the population to second-class citizenship. However, in recent years, some members have offered "pragmatic" concessions (de facto acceptance) for a compromise in other areas. Although perceived by the Israelis as a "pragmatic" center-right alternative to Netanyahu, Eisenkot shares many of the current prime minister's tough security views, including the need to "destroy" Hamas, "disarm" Hezbollah and maintain a tough stance toward Iran. A staunch opponent of the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, Eisenkot's only major departure from Netanyahu is opposition to full annexation of the West Bank, and a 'pragmatic' approach to the Palestinian Authority (which Netanyahu's allies have repeatedly threatened). Ream served as a member of Israel's government coalition after the 2021 elections in the Bennett-Lapid government.

The Arab opposition of Israel Ream is ready to give Eisenkot a chance to oust Netanyahu from the majority Palestinian and Bedouin party Ream, which won 8 seats in the Israeli parliamentary elections last weeks, announced that it will recommend opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot as a candidate to form the next government. Rames' support will bring the Eisenkot coalition to 56 seats, five less than the 61 seats needed to establish a governing coalition. However, the Joint List, Israel's other Arab opposition force, is also "likely" to recommend Eisenkot, MP Ofer Caspif told Anadolu. Having both forces in his camp would give the Eisenkot bloc a comfortable majority of 67 seats. However, several of his other allies, including Avigdor Lieberman and the 7-seat Yisrael Beitenu party, have vowed to reject any coalition agreement with Arab parties (Lieberman, a former Netanyahu ally, has also rejected any deal with Likud). Eisenkot conditioned the cooperation with Ream on the willingness to support mandatory national service, and on the explicit recognition of Israel as a "Jewish state" - a concept that has traditionally been rejected because it relegates 20%+ of the population to second-class citizenship. However, in recent years, some members have offered "pragmatic" concessions (de facto acceptance) for a compromise in other areas. Although perceived by the Israelis as a "pragmatic" center-right alternative to Netanyahu, Eisenkot shares many of the current prime minister's tough security views, including the need to "destroy" Hamas, "disarm" Hezbollah and maintain a tough stance toward Iran. A staunch opponent of the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, Eisenkot's only major departure from Netanyahu is opposition to full annexation of the West Bank, and a 'pragmatic' approach to the Palestinian Authority (which Netanyahu's allies have repeatedly threatened). Ream served as a member of Israel's government coalition after the 2021 elections in the Bennett-Lapid government.