Netanyahu’s primary rival faces challenges in bid to topple the prime minister, with Yisrael Beytenu chief reportedly suggesting he may not back opposition figure’s bid for the premiership.By World Israel News StaffYisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman has refused to commit to endorsing Gadi Eisenkot as Israel’s next prime minister, exposing deep divisions within the anti-Netanyahu bloc as political parties prepare for consultations with President Isaac Herzog following last week’s Knesset elections.According to a report by Kan Reshet Bet, Liberman declined to promise his support for Eisenkot during a private meeting between the two party leaders over the weekend.The disagreement comes despite growing support for Eisenkot from other parties seeking to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett formally announcing Sunday that his Beyachad party would recommend the Yashar chairman to Herzog.“Former Prime Minister Bennett made clear throughout the election campaign that he would respect the voters’ decision, and that is what he is doing,” Bennett’s party said in a statement.Democrats chairman Yair Golan has also reportedly pledged to support Eisenkot’s candidacy, leaving Liberman as the principal holdout among the leaders of the anti-Netanyahu bloc.Sources familiar with the meeting told Ynet that Liberman sharply criticized Eisenkot’s election campaign, accusing him of undermining the bloc’s electoral prospects by drawing votes away from other opposition parties rather than attracting additional support.Liberman also objected to Eisenkot’s proposal to establish a minority government that would rely on outside support from Arab parties, a possibility the Yisrael Beytenu chairman has repeatedly rejected.“We will not support any minority government, not even a minority government for a transitional period,” Liberman declared in October.He has also ruled out joining a government with Netanyahu or the ultra-Orthodox parties, although he has expressed willingness to cooperate with Likud if Netanyahu is replaced as its leader.The disagreements have complicated efforts to assemble a governing majority, despite the anti-Netanyahu parties’ success in preventing the incumbent prime minister’s bloc from securing the 61 seats necessary to control the Knesset.According to Ynet, Eisenkot could receive recommendations from 60 lawmakers even without Liberman’s support, compared with an estimated 46 for Netanyahu. The United Torah Judaism party and its seven MKs-elect have yet to pledge their support to Netanyahu.Liberman’s backing would increase Eisenkot’s total to 67.Herzog is expected to begin consultations with the parliamentary factions on Wednesday, November 4, before selecting the lawmaker he believes has the best chance of assembling a government.Liberman is expected to address the issue publicly following a Yisrael Beytenu faction meeting on Monday.Alongside the disagreement over who should receive the presidential mandate, the parties are increasingly divided over their plans to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana of Likud.According to Kan, Liberman is demanding that Yisrael Beytenu lawmaker Oded Forer receive the speakership as part of a broader agreement among the anti-Netanyahu parties.However, Forer’s candidacy is expected to encounter opposition from Arab lawmakers, whose votes could prove decisive in replacing Ohana when the newly elected Knesset convenes on November 10.Other candidates reportedly under consideration include Eisenkot himself and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid.Liberman has denied seeking the speakership personally.“I have no desire and no intention of being Knesset speaker,” he wrote in response to reports concerning the position.The dispute threatens to complicate one of the opposition’s central post-election objectives: gaining control over the Knesset’s legislative agenda before a new government is formed.Liberman himself previously advocated removing Ohana immediately after the new parliament is sworn in.“Immediately upon the swearing-in of the 26th Knesset, we will act to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana,” he wrote on October 17.He also pledged to advance legislation that would prevent a lawmaker under criminal indictment from serving as prime minister, a measure widely viewed as targeting Netanyahu, who remains on trial on corruption charges.The anti-Netanyahu parties are additionally seeking to reverse several pieces of legislation passed by the outgoing coalition, including changes affecting the attorney general, police oversight and judicial appointments.A senior figure within the bloc warned Ynet that failure to coordinate the parties’ presidential recommendations could have serious consequences.“If the entire bloc does not recommend Eisenkot, all the judicial overhaul laws passed by the current coalition will come into effect on January 1, 2027, as stipulated by law,” the official said.Meanwhile, Likud has reportedly informed Eisenkot that any effort to form a national unity government would depend on abandoning the attempt to replace Ohana.According to Kan, Netanyahu’s associates conveyed a message that Likud would be prepared to examine a possible joint government only if the opposition halted its efforts to install a new Knesset speaker.As long as those efforts continue, the prime minister’s camp reportedly intends to refuse negotiations.Eisenkot’s associates rejected the condition, insisting that the parliamentary effort to remove Ohana would proceed and that joining a Netanyahu-led government was not under consideration.The prospect of a unity government has nevertheless emerged as one possible route out of the political deadlock, with neither bloc currently possessing a straightforward path to a stable parliamentary majority.Another possibility would involve establishing a government with support from Arab parties, although Liberman’s opposition to such an arrangement has created a significant obstacle.Joint List lawmaker Ahmad Tibi indicated Saturday that his party would be prepared to assist efforts to replace Netanyahu without formally entering the next coalition.“We want to make things easier, not harder,” Tibi said in an interview with Channel 12, expressing willingness to support replacing the government.The post Liberman refuses to commit to endorsing Eisenkot for prime minister – report appeared first on World Israel News.