Jerusalem, 2 November, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Liberman met on Sunday with Yashar! Party leader Gadi Eisenkot but refused to commit to recommending him for prime minister to President Isaac Herzog, Israeli media reported Monday. Liberman met with Opposition Leader Yair Lapid on Saturday and is scheduled to meet Democrats chairman Yair Golan later Monday.
Liberman’s demand that his party’s MK Oded Forer become the bloc’s candidate for Knesset speaker has created a dilemma. Arab parties are expected to oppose Forer, while change bloc leaders fear Liberman could block any alternative candidate if his demand is rejected.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s circle told Eisenkot that Likud would consider a unity government only if Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana remains in office. They warned that negotiations would not begin as long as efforts to replace Ohana continue.
Eisenkot’s associates said the speaker replacement effort would proceed and ruled out joining Netanyahu’s government.
