Three historic decisions in one evening

Three people are expected to make historic decisions this evening following the election results: Gadi Eisenkot, who will have to decide whether to form a government with the support of the Arab parties; Avigdor Lieberman, who will have to decide whether to break his commitment against such a minority government; and Benjamin Netanyahu, who will have to decide whether to retire from political life.

Those who arrived at the Knesset building yesterday felt a special atmosphere. The Central Elections Committee is working, and the entire building has become one big headquarters. Three people will have to make historic decisions this evening, perhaps on the level of the declaration of the state. The first is Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of Yashar and former chief of staff, who is expected to receive the mandate from the president to form a government. Eisenkot will have to decide whether to establish a government that relies on the Arab parties, as Mansour Abbas announced. Throughout the campaign, Eisenkot barely addressed the Arab public. Eisenkot and his people admit that such a government could last only a few months. Lieberman must decide whether to break his commitment not to establish a minority government relying on Arab parties. Netanyahu will have to decide whether to remain as opposition leader or retire from political life, perhaps in exchange for a presidential pardon. These scenarios do not take into account dramatic results that would give a clear majority to one of the blocs, or a war with Iran.