120 Seats, Zero Government: The Knesset Plays Musical Chairs

Israel's parliament was sworn in on Tuesday without a government, and the man holding the caretaker's keys is still Benjamin Netanyahu. The October 27 election stripped his bloc of its majority, leaving Likud and its far-right and ultra-Orthodox allies with 53 of the Knesset's 120 seats. The rival camp, led by former general Gadi Eisenkot, holds 48. Neither has the numbers. Another election is on the table if both fail.

The Generals' Parliament

The main challenger to the sitting regime is, by résumé, a former army chief. Eisenkot's centre-right Yashar party and its patchwork partners are tasked with forming a government after President Isaac Herzog gave him the job on Sunday. Among the newly sworn-in is Maj.-Gen. (res.) Noam Tibon, who told 103FM the Knesset has "so many people connected to October 7 and the war." Another new member, reservist Elisha Madan, who lost both legs fighting in Gaza, rose on prosthetic legs to take his oath and got a standing ovation from the floor. The chamber applauded the wound. The war that produced it stays on the agenda of every faction.

Tibon wants a four-year government led by Eisenkot, a short constitution built on the Declaration of Independence, and a focus on "national security and the constitutional front." Asked about a watered-down military conscription law, he said he wasn't familiar with the negotiations: "I trust Bennett and Lapid." Trust the leaders. That's the platform. He also noted that "the governments of Rabin and Sharon operated for a certain period as narrow governments. You can accomplish a lot of things." Rabin and Sharon, the shared reference points of the opposition's hopes.

Compromise, Brought to You by the Presidency

Herzog presided over the ceremony and told lawmakers: "You must do everything to avoid a repeat election." He urged them to "reach out a hand for compromise, even between rivals" and to "look upon one another with generosity." The same address said parliament was "duty bound to leave no stone unturned" investigating the "catastrophe" of October 7, even as Israel faces threats from Iran and its proxies. Generosity between rivals, in a building where the prize is the right to command the army.

The arithmetic is the story. Eisenkot has until December 6 to build a coalition, with a possible two-week extension to December 20. He's called his own path "extraordinarily complex." His options: a minority government leaning on Arab party support, ultra-Orthodox parties who've said they won't join him, or a unity government with Netanyahu. Israel's Arab-led parties hold 19 seats and share his opposition to Netanyahu. They're useful votes. Whether they're invited into the cabinet room is another matter, and the base facts show no such offer.

Fraud Claims and Unity Calls

Netanyahu has cast doubt on the results by baselessly alleging voter fraud by Arabs, a fifth of the population. Election officials say they're probing potential misconduct but have seen no evidence of fraud that could have influenced the outcome. Hours after the swearing-in, the caretaker prime minister called for a unity government, warning that Iran is seeking to revive its nuclear programme and that Israel could face pressure to accept a nuclear-armed Iran. "Only such a government will be capable of confronting challenges of this magnitude," he said. Accuse a fifth of the electorate of cheating, then ask their opponents to share power. Politics as usual.

Bills on the Table

Moments after the opening, Eisenkot's bloc submitted bills for a state commission of inquiry into October 7, term limits for the prime minister, and repeal of the judicial overhaul and other laws passed under Netanyahu's government over the past four years. The inquiry is backed by the Arab parties and largely opposed by Netanyahu. They could also replace the Likud Knesset speaker. Every proposal runs through the same institution that produced the last four years of laws, and the same hierarchy of seats, coalitions and extensions that decides who commands the army, the budget and the police.

The election was fifteen days ago. The government is still missing. The clock runs to December 6.