&imwidth=896&imheight=504&format=webp&quality=medium "Israel's Ra'am party backs Gadi Eisenkot to lead next government after meeting with Herzog")
A leading Arab-Israeli party on Wednesday announced that it would recommend opposition bloc leader Gadi Eisenkot to form the next government following last week's election. "The parliamentary group of the United Arab List has decided to recommend Eisenkot to form the next government," the party, known by its Hebrew acronym Raam, said in a press statement ahead of its meeting with President Isaac Herzog. Herzog is consulting various political forces on the formation of a new government.
Meanwhile, Israeli opposition bloc leader Gadi Eisenkot on Wednesday pledged to strengthen ties with the United States if chosen as prime minister, saying he would work with President Donald Trump to stabilise the Middle East. "Under my leadership, we will renew and deepen that partnership, strengthen the bipartisan foundations that have long sustained it," Eisenkot said. He also expressed his intention to work with Trump to "advance our shared security interests, strengthen regional stability, and open new doors to prosperity for the peoples of the Middle East".
The largest Arab-Israeli bloc on Wednesday condemned what it described as ‘political persecution’ after one of its lawmakers was accused of accepting foreign funds ahead of last week's elections, which witnessed a record turnout among the community.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies have launched an offensive against Arab-Israeli politicians, who could help opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot secure the top position if they join forces. "The targeting of Ayman Odeh is political persecution, and we will not allow the Arab public's vote to be delegitimised," the Joint List, a coalition of three Arab-Israeli parties, said in a statement. "Netanyahu is clinging to power and refusing to acknowledge the will of Arab citizens who voted overwhelmingly against his government," it further added.
