News 161K views since yesterday

Netanyahu 'almost begging' for unity deal, ABC analyst says

Haaretz analyst Dahlia Scheindlin examines Eisenkot's coalition options, arguing that excluding Arab-Israeli parties is a political choice rather than a legal requirement.

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ABC News (Australia) Story of November 11, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? One of ABC News (Australia)'s most watched videos since yesterday, with 161,171 views.

Netanyahu ‘almost begging’ Eisenkot to share power in new Israeli government: analyst | ABC NEWS

Things we can learn from the video

Press to jump

0:00ABC reports that Herzog has given Eisenkot the mandate to assemble a governing coalition.
1:23Scheindlin says ultra-Orthodox negotiations are under way and argues that excluding Arab parties is a political constraint.
3:55Scheindlin describes Netanyahu's push for unity and the obstacles to a power-sharing agreement.
5:40Possible outcomes include a minority government or failed negotiations; Scheindlin declines to assign firm odds.

Benjamin Netanyahu is pressing Gadi Eisenkot for a power-sharing government, Haaretz analyst Dahlia Scheindlin tells ABC News, describing him as repeatedly asking for unity and "almost begging for it".

The interview follows President Isaac Herzog's decision to give Eisenkot the mandate to assemble a government after Israel's deadlocked election. According to ABC's report, Eisenkot's centre-right Yashar party won fewer seats than Netanyahu's Likud, but he has been tasked with finding enough partners for a parliamentary majority.

Scheindlin says negotiations with ultra-Orthodox parties are already under way. Other possible routes include Arab-Israeli parties or defectors from Netanyahu's bloc, leaving Eisenkot with several combinations to explore rather than a single straightforward agreement.

Her central argument concerns which partners should be considered. "The sensitivity around the Arab parties is a self-imposed constraint that has no basis in Israeli law," she says. She points to previous experience of an Arab-Israeli party participating in government as a reason to keep that option open.

A unity deal with Netanyahu would bring a different obstacle: opposition resistance to allowing him to serve as prime minister, Scheindlin says. Netanyahu's enthusiasm for an agreement does not establish that Eisenkot or his prospective partners would accept one.

The segment drew about 161,000 views since yesterday. It ends without a confident prediction: Scheindlin sets out possibilities including a minority government or the collapse of negotiations. "To say it's 50-50 would be overstating the case. We just don't know."