Netanyahu Opens Coalition Door, Shuts It on Arab-Led Parties

Benjamin Netanyahu is dangling an open invitation — with a catch. The Israeli prime minister said Monday he is willing to hold discussions with any political party that wants to join a "broad government," provided it does not support terrorism. He made the offer in a post on X.

That condition is a hard line against the Arab-led Ra'am and Joint List parties. Netanyahu repeated his refusal to build a coalition that depends on them, accusing both of backing terrorism and rejecting Israel's identity as a Jewish state. He also said Likud finished the race as the largest party and claimed a clear majority of Jewish voters chose him to lead the next government.

"We aspire to form a broad government with our partners and with any party that wishes to do so and does not support terrorism. I am open to holding discussions on the matter," he wrote.

One potential partner is already out. Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman, a former foreign affairs, defense and finance minister, insisted at a press conference Monday that he will not join any government that includes Netanyahu — not even a rotating-premier arrangement that would install Lieberman first. He said coalition leaders had approached him with "the strangest" proposals.

The clock is running. President Isaac Herzog said he will receive the official election results from Central Elections Committee chairman Noam Sohlberg on Wednesday, then start consultations with the factions at the President's Residence, asking each leader whom they recommend as prime minister. Herzog has called the outcome a "reality" and urged party leaders to accept it. Shin Bet chief David Zini, Sohlberg and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara said in a joint video address that the October 27 vote was conducted properly with no outside interference.

Beyond the coalition wrangling, Israel's regional posture is drawing attention. Israeli Channel 12 reported Sunday, citing two Israeli and two American sources, that Netanyahu pressed US President Donald Trump to resume strikes on Iran immediately after the US midterm elections on November 3. According to the report, the two held a "direct and pointed" conversation last Saturday, with Netanyahu raising concerns about Qatar-mediated negotiations and pushing for strikes while Trump insisted on diplomacy. Both the White House and Netanyahu's office declined to address the report.