Netanyahu demands ‘national unity’ government as he claims Arab parties ‘want to eliminate Israel’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls on the parties of the so-called change bloc to form a national unity government with the parties of his outgoing coalition, and issues dire warnings that a government formed with the Arab parties, whom he labels “terror supporters,” would destroy the country.

While demanding unity, Netanyahu says that such a government would have to include all of his allies from the last coalition, meaning the ultranationalist Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit factions, and the ultra-Orthodox parties, together with Likud.

The prime minister does not say, however, who should lead such a government.

Netanyahu’s call marks another shift in his post-election phraseology. Hours after the polls closed on October 27, he said he would build a strong, national, right-wing coalition. On November 2, he called for a ‘broad national government’ under his leadership.

Netanyahu’s comments come as President Isaac Herzog is poised to assign the task of forming a new government tomorrow, and is expected to give Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot the first chance to do so, having consulted on Wednesday and Thursday with all the incoming Knesset parties. Netanyahu’s outgoing coalition lost its majority in the election, winning 53 of the 120 Knesset seats. Eisenkot’s four-party “change bloc” won 48 seats. The two Arab parties, Ra’am and the Joint List, won 19 seats and are backing Eisenkot for prime minister.

“There is someone who wants to hastily swear in a government, already next week, with terrorism supporters,” claims Netanyahu in apparent reference to Eisenkot. “To establish a government in the State of Israel with those who want to eliminate the State of Israel,” continues Netanyahu, in reference to the Arab parties.

The prime minister alleges that “a government dependent on Hamas supporters won’t fight Hamas,” and won’t defend IDF soldiers operating in Gaza and Lebanon.

He also raises the specter of civil war in Israel, warning that the severe riots witnessed in Europe in recent weeks, which Netanyahu blames on “Islamists,” will be repeated in Israel if a government backed by the Arab parties is formed.

“With a government like that, Israel simply won’t survive,” Netanyahu claims.

“I call for the establishment of a government of national unity which will include all the parties of the national camp, and all the Zionist parties which want to protect our country, the one and only state of the Jewish people,” he continues. “A national unity government will permanently remove the nuclear threat from Iran, protect Israel as a Jewish state, and bring unity among us.”

The video comes as some in Eisenkot’s four-party Jewish-led anti-Netanyahu bloc, and the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, long allied with Netanyahu, signal they could team up to form a government that would replace the incumbent premier. Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman on Friday formally withdrew his longtime veto on partnering with ultra-Orthodox parties and expressed a readiness for “painful compromise” on IDF service for the ultra-Orthodox, although Eisenkot is still insisting on mandatory service for them.

Eisenkot has insisted he will not partner with Netanyahu in any government, but is open to parties and MKs that meet four conditions: Recognition of Israel as a Jewish, democratic, liberal and egalitarian state;  commitment to the values of the Declaration of Independence; commitment to requiring military or national service for all citizens; recognition of Hamas as a terrorist organization and of the obligation to destroy its military and governing power in Gaza.