Israel’s president opts for a unity government after November elections

The President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, has conveyed to the outgoing deputies of the Knesset or Israeli Parliament the need to reach an agreement for the formation of a national unity government after the elections scheduled for November 1 that will overcome the current confrontation of blocs.

Herzog reportedly met with several MPs in recent weeks and conveyed this intention to them, Israeli public television, Kan, reported Sunday. The Israeli president has the constitutional role of commissioning the formation of a government after an election.

“I want to roll up my sleeves after the elections and work for the broadest possible unity government whatever it takes. Stabilize the system, because the citizens of Israel are tired of this electoral routine,” he said, referring to the five early elections in the last four years.

Herzog believes that Israeli citizens want a stable government that is effective in security and also in economic matters, according to sources consulted by Kan.

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads a group of parties that according to the latest poll, published Friday, would win 60 of the 61 seats needed to govern. His rivals, now in power, displaced him with a broad coalition that could nevertheless crack because of its internal diversity, particularly after the announcement of the Joint Arab-Israeli List, which announced last Thursday that it would run on two different lists: Hadash-Taal and Balad.

This split could mean that Balad will not get parliamentary representation, according to polls published by Channel 12 and Channel 13. On the other hand, Netanyahu has achieved a certain unification of the more minority parties that would guarantee them representation.