00:00Let's get more now with Shmuel Sandler, a professor of political science at Bar-Ilan University in Jerusalem.
00:06Thank you, sir, for being with us today.
00:08Could Gadi Eisenkot attract support from parties traditionally aligned with Benjamin Netanyahu, do you think, these Orthodox parties?
00:16Well, it's not going to be an easy job, but I think it's possible,
00:20because Eisenkot will not let Netanyahu go for a rebound for another election.
00:33And the result, his coalition, his bloc, will have to make some compromises with the Arab votes or the ultra
00:43-Orthodox,
00:44the two extremes, which are non-Zionist, we can say.
00:51And ultimately, I think that he has a chance of putting together a government,
01:00even if it's going to be a minority government, which is going to be supported by the Arab parties from
01:09outside,
01:10not joining the government as ministers.
01:14Now, Gadi Eisenkot is a former military chief, and he served in Netanyahu's wartime cabinet,
01:19even lost a son in action in Gaza.
01:22Do you see a way that he could work with the Arab alliances,
01:26considering the historical aversion to deals with them and, you know,
01:30with an electorate that is essentially trending right-wing?
01:32Yes, well, the Arab community ultimately realized that it cannot play into an Israeli political system
01:45without participating in it or not voting.
01:49That's why so many of them came out and voted this time.
01:52And they got a large representation, much more than ever.
01:59Nineteen members of the Knesset, which is all in all 120.
02:06So that's a nice portion, and they really control the balance.
02:10So I think there is a good chance that this will happen.
02:15Because the Arab community realized that it's for its benefit not to stay out, but to join.
02:24Now, Professor, we're looking at some live pictures as we talk of the Israeli president there on the right,
02:30Isaac Herzog, talking with, on the left there, that is Gadi Eisenkot,
02:36tasking him with forming a coalition government for Israel.
02:41What do we know, Professor, about Gadi Eisenkot's stance on foreign policy?
02:46How do you see him building alliances and repairing relations on the world stage?
02:51Well, even though he has less experience than Mr. Netanyahu,
02:57who has been a very long time, almost 19 years in power,
03:06I think that, look, having been a chief of self is not an easy job.
03:14And he grew up from, as we can say, from the periphery.
03:20His parents came from Morocco.
03:22He grew up and struggled his way up to be a chief of self.
03:29And as I result, I think he has the qualities to also be prime minister
03:36and rebuild our relationships with Europe and the United States.
03:41Professor Shmuel Sandler from Bar Ilan University in Jerusalem,
03:45thank you so much for your time today and your insights.
03:47Much appreciated.
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