Netanyahu meets Ben-Gvir, Smotrich as opposition leaders hold coalition talks

Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Likud of attempting to undermine the legitimacy of Israel's election results, while Yair Lapid urged the public to remain patient as negotiations to form the next government continued behind the scenes.

Meetings also took place within Netanyahu's bloc. Otzma Yehudit said party chairman and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir held a lengthy meeting with Netanyahu on Thursday, during which the two discussed "how to preserve the right-wing government and prevent the establishment of a left-wing government supported by supporters of terrorism."

Netanyahu also met with Religious Zionist Party chairman Bezalel Smotrich on Thursday for what was described as "coordination of steps."

He said it was too early to determine whether such interference had occurred and stressed that the relevant professional authorities must be allowed to complete their investigations without political involvement.

At the same time, he accused Netanyahu and Likud of conducting a coordinated campaign to delegitimize the election results and said he would not allow any deviation from the planned timetable for the swearing-in of the Knesset.

Eisenkot also announced that his teams were preparing several bills to be submitted when the Knesset convenes, including legislation establishing military recruitment and national service requirements for all Israeli citizens, the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 massacre, and changes to the budget allocation mechanism.

He pledged to continue acting with determination while calling on the public to show restraint and patience.

Meanwhile, Lapid issued a statement addressing the disappointment that neither political bloc had secured a clear majority of 61 Knesset seats.

He argued that although the election had not produced a decisive outcome, the results nevertheless represented a victory for Netanyahu's opponents.

Lapid pointed to the high voter turnout, which he said reached 77.7%, and argued that Netanyahu had no way to form a government based on the election results.

In his statement, Lapid urged the public not to expect constant updates about the political negotiations, explaining that forming a government requires prolonged, discreet work.

He compared the negotiations to the work of a watchmaker, carefully assembling gears until the mechanism begins to function.

Ra'am chairman Dr. Mansour Abbas initiated phone calls with his counterparts Yousef Jabareen, head of the Joint List and Hadash, Ahmad Tibi, head of the Joint List and Ta'al, and Sami Abu Shehadeh, head of the Balad party.

Abbas congratulated the party leaders and Knesset members of the Joint List on the election results, emphasizing the significant responsibility placed upon all Arab MKs in the upcoming period. The three leaders, for their part, congratulated the United Arab List and its MKs, expressing their appreciation for the immense public trust they received.

Abbas called for strengthening cooperation, coordination, and the integration of roles between the United Arab List and the Joint List in order to serve the interests of the Arab community and the aspirations of both slates' voters, in light of the high voter turnout and the unprecedented number of votes they garnered.

The discussions also addressed the election results, the political landscape in the incoming Knesset, and opportunities for forming an alternative government to the Netanyahu–Ben-Gvir–Smotrich coalition. Both sides agreed to maintain direct communication and coordination in the coming period.