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Thursday, October 29, 2026
UTJ sources proposing to back Eisenkot from outside the government — report
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Sources in the United Torah Judaism party are proposing to support a government led by Yashar party chair Gadi Eisenkot from the outside, Channel 12 news reports.
The ultra-Orthodox party, currently with seven seats according to the updated vote count tally, could support an Eisenkot government from the outside, in exchange for compromises on military draft exemptions, Channel 12 reports.
In such a situation, UTJ would be absent from Knesset votes and wouldn’t vote against the government, the report says.
Eisenkot would also be allowed to rely on the seven seats of the Islamic Ra’am party.
“We won’t receive anything from Netanyahu,” a UTJ source tells Channel 12.
“Our alliance with him has been exhausted, certainly in a situation where he does not have 61. Our interest is to return to being a decisive factor in the Knesset,” the source says, adding that the party may enter the opposition in the event of a unity government.
Eisenkot has set conditions for a coalition under his leadership, including committing to a Zionist government that backs universal military service — which UTJ opposes — and dismantling Hamas.
The Times of Israel Community.