Ramon Urges Eisenkot Minority Government, Calls Netanyahu Obstacle to Unity

Former deputy prime minister and justice minister Haim Ramon urged Gadi Eisenkot to form a minority government with outside support from Arab parties in a November 10 radio interview. He dismissed prospects for a unity government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu alongside Netanyahu’s existing political partners. Ramon said: “There is one big obstacle to a unity government, and his name is Benjamin Netanyahu.” He told interviewers Ron Kaufman and Aryeh Eldad that unity could become possible if Netanyahu agreed to serve under Eisenkot rather than insist on leading a government alongside his existing partners. His preferred route was a 48-seat minority government, supported by Arab parties in the initial confidence vote without those parties joining the coalition. Ramon distinguished that external support from coalition membership and proposed negotiating to expand the government after it took office. He said the new government should begin by establishing an inquiry commission, closing ministries he regarded as unnecessary and cancelling coalition agreements. Ramon criticized Avigdor Liberman’s proposal to negotiate first with the Haredi parties. He argued that securing the 13 seats of Shas and United Torah Judaism could take considerable time and extend Netanyahu’s caretaker tenure. Ramon said he would prefer a subsequent election to be held with Eisenkot, rather than Netanyahu, heading the government.