Arab parties back Eisenkot, but path to Israeli coalition remains fraught

The National · Thomas Helm · 2026-11-05 15:32 UTC

Opposition leader has majority of recommendations to try to form next government

Arab parties threw their backing behind former army general Gadi Eisenkot to be Israel's next prime minister on Thursday, but a row over Hamas is threatening to derail the process.

Mansour Abbas, the leader of the majority-Arab political party Ra’am, called for Hamas to be disarmed and removed from power but stopped short of calling the group a terrorist organisation during talks with the Israeli President, Isaac Herzog.

Mr Herzog is holding talks with all parties before deciding who should be given the first chance to form an Israeli government after last week's inconclusive elections.

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