Yashar Party leader Gadi Eisenkot has ruled out joining a government led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he would refuse even if US President Donald Trump personally asked him to do so.
Israel’s public broadcaster Kan quoted unnamed sources as saying that Eisenkot made the remarks during a recent closed-door meeting. He said he would agree to meet Trump if invited, but would oppose any US interference in Israel’s domestic political affairs.
Eisenkot reportedly said that if Trump called him, he would show respect for the president and attend the meeting, but would insist that the matter was an internal Israeli issue and that he would not allow outside interference.
Last week, The Jerusalem Post reported that Trump’s representatives had spoken with Israeli officials following the election about the possibility of forming a unity government bringing together Netanyahu and Eisenkot. The Washington Post quoted a Likud official as saying that Trump wanted a stable and reliable Israeli government that could be formed as soon as possible after the election.
The US newspaper also reported that Netanyahu had told American officials he believed Eisenkot would be the best partner if hostilities between Israel and Iran resumed, and that he would seek to form a more moderate coalition if the two joined forces.
Israel’s public broadcaster Kan quoted unnamed sources as saying that Eisenkot made the remarks during a recent closed-door meeting. He said he would agree to meet Trump if invited, but would oppose any US interference in Israel’s domestic political affairs.
Eisenkot reportedly said that if Trump called him, he would show respect for the president and attend the meeting, but would insist that the matter was an internal Israeli issue and that he would not allow outside interference.
Last week, The Jerusalem Post reported that Trump’s representatives had spoken with Israeli officials following the election about the possibility of forming a unity government bringing together Netanyahu and Eisenkot. The Washington Post quoted a Likud official as saying that Trump wanted a stable and reliable Israeli government that could be formed as soon as possible after the election.
The US newspaper also reported that Netanyahu had told American officials he believed Eisenkot would be the best partner if hostilities between Israel and Iran resumed, and that he would seek to form a more moderate coalition if the two joined forces.
