JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet on Wednesday ordered the military to prepare for a potential renewed offensive against Iran, sparking a fierce clash with opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot as the caretaker government faces imminent removal.
The order risks triggering outright war.
Yet Netanyahu pushed the directive through during the security cabinet's first formal session since October 5, shattering a political lull that followed the October 27 national elections. The directive drew immediate condemnation from Eisenkot, the former military chief tasked with building Israel's next governing coalition, who demanded a complete halt to non-essential military operations until a parliament-backed government takes office.
Eisenkot dispatched a formal letter to Netanyahu warning that a caretaker premier stripped of parliamentary support has no mandate to drag the country into conflict.
"Only 46 Knesset members still support your continued tenure as prime minister," Eisenkot stated in the letter, emphasizing that the caretaker government no longer commands the confidence of Israel's parliament.
The standoff exposes a perilous power vacuum at the summit of Israel's national security apparatus. President Isaac Herzog formally entrusted Eisenkot with forming the next government on Sunday after parliamentary factions representing 67 lawmakers backed his candidacy, leaving Netanyahu marooned with support from just 46 lawmakers. Seven Knesset members declined to recommend either contender.
Eisenkot now controls a 28-day statutory window to cobble together a governing majority, with the option of a 14-day presidential extension.
He refused to let the security cabinet act unchecked.
Taking to X, Eisenkot warned that initiating military maneuvers during an executive transition threatens the stability of the state itself.
The deployment of security forces without a direct and immediate threat that cannot be delayed could have devastating consequences for Israeli democracy and public trust in government institutions.
Gadi Eisenkot, Prime Minister — Designate
Eisenkot urged Netanyahu to exercise absolute restraint, shelving provocative maneuvers until a legitimate administration takes the oath of office.
| Political Parameter | Official Status |
|---|---|
| Coalition Mandate Holder | Gadi Eisenkot |
| Lawmakers Recommending Eisenkot | 67 |
| Lawmakers Recommending Netanyahu | 46 |
| Lawmakers Abstaining from Recommendation | 7 |
| Coalition Negotiation Deadline | 28 days (eligible for 14-day extension) |
| Security Cabinet Prior Meeting | October 5 |
Netanyahu must now decide whether to enforce the military mobilization directives against an open rebellion from the Knesset majority, even as Eisenkot's coalition negotiators race against their four-week deadline to swear in a new cabinet.