Netanyahu says only a unity government can guarantee Israel’s security

Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has renewed his call for a national unity government with his rival, Gadi Eisenkot, saying only such a government can guarantee Israel’s security. In a video statement on Saturday, Netanyahu said a meeting with Eisenkot on Thursday “only strengthened the conviction that it is essential to form a national unity government”.

The prime minister said such a government could “eliminate the Iranian threat once and for all”, claiming Tehran would “not hesitate to use nuclear weapons against us”. Neither side won a majority in the October 27 election.

Netanyahu’s right-wing and religious bloc took 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, Eisenkot’s four-party bloc got 48 seats, and Arab-led parties won a record 19. President Isaac Herzog last week tasked Eisenkot with forming a government, after 67 lawmakers, including those from Arab-led parties, endorsed him, while 46 backed Netanyahu.