Netanyahu discusses unity government formation

What happened

• After President Herzog handed the mandate to form a government to Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu used the swearing-in of the new Knesset to call for a national unity government, saying publicly that he could not reveal everything he knows about the challenges ahead.www.israelhayom.comJewish Telegraphic Agency
• The same speech, in which Netanyahu accused the Arab parties of seeking Israel's destruction, set off uproar in the plenum; Eisenkot called it divisive and cancelled a scheduled negotiating meeting with the Likud team, according to JNS.JNS.orgThe Forward
• Ra'am chairman Mansour Abbas said the remarks put his and his family's safety at risk, and said a Netanyahu associate had nevertheless been in touch with him about political options.MaarivThe Times of Israel
• On its first substantive vote the bloc opposing Netanyahu carried the make-up of the Arrangements Committee 63 to 50 with Arab lawmakers' support, Liberman took the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and a Ra'am representative was placed on that panel for the first time; Likud attacked Eisenkot, Bennett and Liberman for voting alongside Tibi and Abbas.Israel HayomThe Jerusalem PostYnetnewsThe Times of IsraelJNS.org
• Negotiations continued on several tracks: Netanyahu met Shas leader Deri to keep the haredi parties from crossing over, ynet reported his associates told Eisenkot's camp that Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit would not be a condition for a unity coalition — which Likud denied — while Liberman courted United Torah Judaism and the haredim set passage of a draft law as their price.YnetnewsynetynetIsrael Hayom

Why it matters

Whether the haredi parties stay with Netanyahu or move to Eisenkot's bloc, and whether a coalition can rely on Arab parties' votes, decides if Netanyahu keeps the premiership or leaves office after the inconclusive election.Maarivjpost.comCNN

Where coverage differs

• Right-leaning Israeli outlets largely led with the Arab parties' role, repeating Likud's framing of cooperation with Ra'am and the Joint List as a danger, while centrist Israeli and international outlets led with Netanyahu's speech itself and with Eisenkot's first wins in the chamber.0404 NewsChannel 14YnetnewsThe Times of IsraelCNNDallas News
• Israeli left-leaning commentary analysed the speech as incitement and as a sign of Netanyahu's weakness, whereas pro-Israel Jewish outlets reported it mainly as a procedural clash over committees and the speakership.HaaretzHaaretzThe Times of IsraelJNS.orgJNS.org