58 seats: The threshold Eisenkot wants to break Israel's political deadlock

Israeli opposition leaders are preparing a plan to form a government with as few as 58 seats.

The push comes as polls show the anti-Netanyahu camp ahead of the current coalition, but short of the 61 seats required for a standard majority under existing agreements.

Eisenkot, who aims to lead the bloc, argues that a government can be sworn in with a confidence vote that does not include permanent backing from 61 members of the Knesset.

Under this scenario, the new cabinet would try to widen its parliamentary support after taking office.

Eisenkot rejects serving under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including in a rotation deal, and sees this path as the best option if change-seeking parties win 58 or 59 seats.

The legal basis for this plan relies on the distinction between forming a new government and removing an incumbent one.

Swearing in a new administration requires a majority in the confidence vote, allowing abstentions to count toward success.

However, a constructive vote of no confidence against the current government still requires 61 votes to support an alternative, meaning the minority strategy would not immediately displace Netanyahu.

Rivals in the bloc disagree on this approach.

Avigdor Liberman insists on a Zionist majority from the start and rejects any minority arrangement, even a transitional one.

He has suggested that Likud members of the Knesset could join a government without Netanyahu, though he has not named specific individuals or confirmed ongoing talks.

Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, leading the Beyachad list, also demand a Zionist government and refuse to rely on the votes or abstentions of Arab parties for their support base. Yair Golan, chair of the Democrats, has not ruled out cooperating with the Ra'am party, a move Eisenkot has also left open, though no formula has been agreed upon yet. A meeting between Eisenkot and Liberman earlier this week resulted in a joint call to boost voter turnout but did not resolve their core disagreement. Leadership rivalry continues, with Eisenkot seeking to head the largest party and Bennett citing his experience as a former prime minister as a qualification for the top spot. The bloc is also moving to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana before any coalition deal is finalized. The goal is to give opposition forces control of the parliamentary agenda, even if Netanyahu remains as a caretaker. The speaker is elected early in a new Knesset term, and the bloc could use support from Arab party members to secure a majority for a candidate. Names under consideration include Chili Tropper, Matan Kahana, and Elazar Stern from Eisenkot's list, along with Meirav Ben-Ari and Eitan Ginzburg from the Bennett-Lapid list, Efrat Rayten of the Democrats, and attorney Oded Forer of Yisrael Beytenu. No consensus candidate has been announced. Liberman estimates that up to one-third of outgoing coalition members might vote against Ohana, provided they do so openly. The opposition also intends to push for a state commission of inquiry into October 7, changes to conscription law, limits on the prime minister's tenure, and the repeal of certain judicial changes from the outgoing government. Liberman specifically wants a bar on individuals facing criminal charges serving as prime minister. No binding agreement exists on the details or order of these measures, though party teams have begun coordinating. Obstacles remain, as not every bloc member supports every judicial change, and a new speaker does not automatically provide a legislative majority. The memory of the previous Bennett-Lapid government, which collapsed before completing its legislative agenda, continues to influence current strategies.