Bennett Backs Eisenkot Only for Government of Those Who Serve

Naftali Bennett has attached a condition to his backing for Gadi Eisenkot, who is weighing a coalition with the chareidi parties, Amit Segal reported. "We will help with all our might, but only to establish a Zionist government of those who serve," Bennett said in a message to Eisenkot.

The formula predates the election. In October, representatives of Eisenkot and Democrats chairman Yair Golan proposed committing the opposition bloc to a "coalition of those who serve," defined as a government of parties that support military or civilian national service. Yisrael Beiteinu faction chairman Oded Forer said they offered that wording in place of his party's proposed pledge to form a coalition made up exclusively of Zionist parties.

By that definition, a party's support for military or civilian national service is the test for joining the government Bennett is prepared to help build.

Bennett used the same language on election night. "The alliance of those who serve has defeated the alliance of draft dodgers," he declared, adding that the draft-dodging coalition had collapsed from 68 seats to 50, Ynet reported. Television exit polls gave his Beyachad party, which he founded with Yair Lapid in April, 12 to 13 seats, behind Eisenkot's Yashar!.

Avigdor Liberman set out a stricter line in October. "We will establish a coalition composed exclusively of Zionist parties. Without Ra'am, without the Joint List, without Shas, and without United Torah Judaism," Liberman said.

Bennett pledged on Tuesday that Beyachad would throw its full weight behind Eisenkot's bid to form a government, after the opposition bloc's leaders held their first joint meeting since the election. "We must take control of the Knesset, secure the mandate to form a government, and move as swiftly as possible to establish a Zionist government of national renewal," Bennett said. Arutz Sheva rendered the same remarks as a pledge to establish "a Zionist government of reform" and "bring about a revolution for those who serve."

The bloc has also named Eisenkot as the first of its members to seek the mandate to form Israel's next government.