Wire reporting: (AFP, via France 24)

Israel’s caretaker prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Saturday that only a national unity government with Gadi Eisenkot could guarantee the country’s security, a day after coalition talks continued under Eisenkot’s mandate to form a cabinet^1,2.

In a video statement, Netanyahu said a Thursday meeting with Eisenkot “only strengthened the conviction that it is essential to form a national unity government,” according to Al Jazeera¹. France 24, RTE and Al-Monitor, carrying AFP, reported he also tied that formula to confronting Iran^2,3,4.

Eisenkot, a former army chief, answered within minutes that Netanyahu knows he lost the election and that the appeal was a political ploy, Al Jazeera and the AFP accounts said^1,2. He said talks were already underway and that the approach would not work on him^1,2.

Al Jazeera reported that neither camp won a majority in the Oct. 27 vote: Netanyahu’s right-wing and religious bloc took 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, Eisenkot’s four-party bloc 48, and Arab-led parties a record 19¹. President Isaac Herzog last week tasked Eisenkot with forming a government after 67 lawmakers, including from Arab-led parties, endorsed him, against 46 for Netanyahu, that report said¹.

Eisenkot has 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension^1,2. Al Jazeera said he has ruled out including Arab-led parties in his government¹. AFP copy carried by France 24 and Al-Monitor described a possible minority “national emergency government” in which Eisenkot’s 48 would vote yes, Netanyahu’s 46 no, and 26 lawmakers from Arab and ultra-Orthodox parties could abstain, allowing approval without an absolute majority^2,4.

Netanyahu has warned against that path; Al Jazeera said he argued such a government would lead to Israel’s “collapse”¹. AFP accounts said he urged a meeting without preconditions of parties that recognize Israel as a state for the Jewish people, and that his unity formula would exclude Arab parties^2,3,4.

Eisenkot has said he could work with members of Likud and with Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism if their commitment were sincere, while insisting on a break with supporters of far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, the reports said^1,2. A unity government with Netanyahu himself remains unlikely after Eisenkot on Friday called Netanyahu’s campaign against Arab parties racist, those accounts said^1,2.

The Knesset is due to elect a speaker on Tuesday^1,2. Amir Ohana, a Netanyahu ally, holds the post; Eisenkot’s camp has put forward Matan Kahana, and Eisenkot said Likud and its allies should instruct members to support that appointment if they want a sincere partnership, according to AFP via France 24 and Al-Monitor^2,4.