Israeli Politicsupdated 28m ago3 min read
Gadi Eisenkot Warns Benjamin Netanyahu Against Non-Urgent Military Action During Transition
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Eisenkot urges Netanyahu to exercise restraint on security decisions during transition. He warns non-urgent military action could cause constitutional conflict and democracy damage.
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Eisenkot urges restraint
Gadi Eisenkot, the Yashar party leader tasked with forming Israel’s next government, warned caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against launching military or security operations without a direct and immediate threat that cannot be delayed.
Eisenkot told Netanyahu that “Only 46 Knesset members still support your continued tenure as prime minister,” and he warned that “The deployment of security forces without a direct and immediate threat that cannot be delayed could have devastating consequences for Israeli democracy and public trust in government institutions,” during the politically sensitive transition period.
President Isaac Herzog formally tasked Eisenkot with forming a government on Sunday after parliamentary factions representing 67 lawmakers recommended him, compared with 46 backing Netanyahu, and Eisenkot received 28 days to form a governing coalition with a possible 14-day extension.
The mandate followed Israel’s Oct. 27 parliamentary elections, in which Netanyahu’s bloc secured 53 seats, the opposition 48 and Arab parties 19 in the 120-member Knesset, leaving neither main bloc with an outright majority.
Eisenkot’s efforts to form a government were complicated by disagreements among prospective coalition partners about cooperation with Arab parties and military service exemptions demanded by ultra-Orthodox factions, with Eisenkot and Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman agreeing Monday to pursue negotiations with ultra-Orthodox parties.
Netanyahu rejects oversight
Netanyahu’s office rejected Eisenkot’s warning, and it said Eisenkot was trying to politicize national security while Netanyahu continued to act in coordination with the security establishment. The Prime Minister’s Office said, “All decisions taken by the government led by Prime Minister Netanyahu were based solely on security considerations and in full coordination with the security establishment,” and it added that Eisenkot’s letter was “an irresponsible move that publicly discusses sensitive security matters.” Eisenkot responded by questioning why Netanyahu refused his request to receive operational briefings through official channels “as is customary,” and Eisenkot also challenged Netanyahu over attempts to delay the convening of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
Eisenkot urged Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara to intervene so he could receive regular security briefings from Netanyahu, arguing that “there is currently no opposition leader” under the law. Eisenkot also warned that delaying oversight could leave security chiefs in “a grave constitutional conflict,” and he urged Netanyahu to let them “uphold, without doubt, the sacred duty entrusted to them.”
Transition stakes and Iran
The dispute over security decisions during the transition sharpened as reports circulated about potential renewed action related to Iran and as Eisenkot argued that such moves could wait until a new government is sworn in. Eisenkot warned that “Deploying the security forces without a direct and immediate threat that cannot wait could have devastating consequences for Israeli democracy and citizens’ trust in the institutions of government,” and he urged Netanyahu to “show restraint and caution” until the Knesset’s confidence is secured for a new government. The Straits Times reported that Netanyahu’s office rejected Eisenkot’s warning and accused him of “politicising Israel’s national security,” while Eisenkot shared his letter on X and called for prudence regarding security decisions.
Ynetnews framed the political confrontation as accusations that Netanyahu was pushing for a unilateral military operation against Iran without U.S. backing, and it said senior figures in the bloc seeking to replace Netanyahu accused him of having “gone off the rails.” Ynetnews also cited Israel’s Basic Law framework, stating that under Section 40 a decision to go to war or undertake a significant military operation “requires authorization from the government or its Security Cabinet,” and it said the Security Cabinet was scheduled to meet Sunday, its first meeting in more than a month.