Netanyahu Warns of Risks in Government Backed by Hamas Support

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Saturday for the formation of a national unity government including parties from the national camp and Zionist parties, warning against a government relying on forces accused of supporting Hamas. In a video statement, Netanyahu asserted that forming this government is the will of the people and a necessity of the hour, noting attempts to form an alternative government next week based on parties he describes as supporting terrorism. He emphasized that a government relying on Hamas supporters will not be able to fight Hamas, and a government relying on anti-Jewish elements will not maintain Israel as a Jewish state. He described these risks as not mere scare tactics or fantasy but a reality Israelis must act to prevent, warning that Israel "will not endure" under such a government. Netanyahu pointed out that a government dependent on Islamists would work to dismantle the state from within, as seen in some European countries, warning that the consequences could be even more severe in Israeli cities. He added that with such a government, Israel simply will not survive, and therefore the only option is national unity rather than national suicide. He called for forming a national unity government including all parties from the national camp and willing Zionist parties. He claimed that a government relying on parties accused of supporting Hamas would be unable to confront the Iranian threat or adequately protect soldiers in Gaza and Lebanon, affirming that the unity government he advocates would be capable of facing these challenges. He confirmed that the unity government would work to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat permanently, preserve Israel as a Jewish state, and strengthen internal unity, urging political forces to show responsibility in this critical phase. These statements come ahead of Israeli President Isaac Herzog's announcement on Sunday, November 8, of the candidate he will assign to form the next government. Herzog announced on November 5 that consultations with parliamentary blocs showed support from 67 lawmakers for assigning opposition party leader Gadi Eizenkot, compared to 46 supporting Netanyahu, noting that the ability to form a governing coalition remains uncertain. Meanwhile, on November 3, Eizenkot declared that one of the principles of the government he seeks to form is to eliminate Hamas's military and governmental capabilities, a stance that contrasts with Netanyahu's warnings about the alternative government's inability to confront the movement.