Yachimovich attacks Eisenkot and calls for a government with the Haredim and Arabs

Shelly Yachimovich criticized the political capabilities of the leadership of the anti-Netanyahu bloc, called for forming a government with Ra'am, United Torah Judaism, and the Joint List, and warned of defections to the Netanyahu bloc.

Shelly Yachimovich, former Labor Party chair, sharply criticized the political capabilities of the leadership of the anti-Netanyahu bloc. In a post she published following the election results, she wrote that she is "in shock and sorrow" and that the results reflect a difficult national, ideological, and personal reality. Yachimovich argued that if the bloc were led by someone with political skills like Netanyahu's, he would have succeeded in forming a government with the current results. She called for working with Mansour Abbas (Ra'am), bringing in United Torah Judaism at the cost of compromises on the conscription issue, and reaching understandings with the Joint List that would remain outside the government. Such a coalition, she said, would be worthwhile to achieve goals such as replacing the Knesset Speaker, establishing a state commission of inquiry, canceling the judicial reform laws, and removing Netanyahu and his associates from power. Yachimovich estimated that defections of right-wing MKs from bloc parties to bolster Netanyahu are only a matter of time. She did not mention Gadi Eisenkot by name, but her remarks are perceived as criticism of his leadership.