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The former chief of staff has introduced a bill to investigate October 7, accusing Benjamin Netanyahu of bearing direct responsibility.
Gadi Eisenkot launched a legislative offensive against outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday by introducing a bill to investigate October 7, as soon as the new parliament took office in an electric atmosphere.
ישראל על פרשת דרכים היסטורית – אולי בימים המורכבים ביותר מאז הקמתה. נעשה הכל כדי להיות ראויים – למחיר הכבד, למי שבחר בנו ולאזרחי ישראל כולם. אני מתחייב🇮🇱 https://t.co/NCbP01YILz
— Gadi Eisenkot – גדי איזנקוט (@gadi_eisenkot) November 10, 2026
Former chief of staff and leader of the main anti-Netanyahu bloc, Mr. Eisenkot was tasked this weekend by President Isaac Herzog with forming a government despite a fractured political landscape.
The inaugural session of the 26th Knesset was marred by these tensions when far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir berated an Arab member of parliament during his swearing-in ceremony, accusing him of pledging allegiance to the Palestinian Hamas rather than to Israel.
After striking the gavel three times to open the session, President Isaac Herzog did try to call on the various political forces “to extend a hand for compromises, including towards [their] rivals.”
But the declarations of unity immediately gave way to an offensive: Mr. Eisenkot’s party, Yashar, announced on Tuesday the filing of a bill “aimed at establishing a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 massacre.”
“Existential threat”
The opposition had placed such a measure at the heart of its campaign, accusing Mr. Netanyahu of bearing direct responsibility for the security failures that led to these Hamas attacks on Israeli soil, which the outgoing prime minister denies.
The latter, threatened with losing power after more than nineteen cumulative years at the head of the government, renewed his call to form a national unity coalition to face the “existential threat” that Iran represents to Israel, according to him.
In a speech delivered after taking the oath of office at a reception with other members of parliament, he launched a virulent attack against the two main Israeli Arab parties, Raam and the Joint List, accusing them of plotting the “destruction of the Jewish state.”
Mr. Netanyahu was interrupted several times by opponents during his speech, notably by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett who challenged him by referring to the security failures of October 7.
Forming a delicate government
Gadi Eisenkot described Mr. Netanyahu’s speech as “delusional, divisive, hateful and shameful,” accusing him of having “hijacked the oath of office for political purposes.”
These tensions offer a foretaste of the weeks to come, with complicated negotiations.
The task of forming a government is proving delicate, as the Knesset lacks a majority and the opposition camp is divided on how to form a government.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats in the October 27 legislative elections, but has since lost the support of the seven members of the United Torah Judaism (UTJ, ultra-Orthodox) party.
Gadi Eisenkot and his allies have 48 seats, fewer than the 61 needed for an absolute majority in the Knesset. However, he can count on the declared support of the predominantly Arab Israeli lists (19 additional seats).
But several members of his camp, including the secular nationalist Avigdor Liberman, reject any alliance with these parties that represent Israeli Arabs, also called Palestinians of Israel, in a context of societal fractures aggravated since October 7.
He proposed instead to rally the two main ultra-Orthodox parties, which have long supported Mr. Netanyahu.
Several parliamentary battles
Alongside the negotiations to form a government, the investiture of the new Knesset kicks off several parliamentary battles.
In addition to the creation of a commission of inquiry into October 7, the opposition intends to repeal several texts adopted by the outgoing coalition, including provisions restricting the prerogatives of the Supreme Court and a law facilitating the removal of the Attorney General.
The first challenge for the new members of parliament will be the election of the speaker of parliament, a position currently held by Amir Ohana, a member of Likud, the party of Benjamin Netanyahu, with whom he is close.
The opposition has nominated Matan Kahana, a former Israeli army officer with a prestigious career and former minister who was fifth on the Yashar list, the party of Gadi Eisenkot, to succeed him.
