Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly kept open the possibility of forming a national unity government with opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot as political negotiations continue following an inconclusive parliamentary election.

According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu has privately indicated that he is considering different options, including a possible power sharing arrangement that would allow him and Eisenkot to serve as prime minister at different stages of the government's term.

However, no formal proposal has been made, and it remains unclear whether Eisenkot would accept such an arrangement. Eisenkot and several other opposition leaders have previously rejected joining a government led by Netanyahu, making any power sharing agreement politically difficult.

Netanyahu's reported private position also differs from the public statements of some members of his Likud party, who have expressed opposition to sharing the premiership.

The possibility of a unity government comes as neither Netanyahu's political bloc nor the opposition has secured the parliamentary majority required to form a government independently.

In the October 27 election, Netanyahu's Likud led bloc secured 53 seats in the 120 seat Knesset, Israel's parliament, while the wider opposition bloc led by Eisenkot won 48 seats. Arab led parties secured the remaining 19 seats. The Central Elections Committee published the final results on October 30.

Eisenkot's Yashar party won 21 seats, making it the largest party within the opposition grouping. The remaining opposition seats are held by other parties, including B'Yachad, an alliance led by former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, as well as parties headed by Yair Golan and Avigdor Lieberman.

A government needs the support of at least 61 members of the Knesset to command a parliamentary majority. The election result has therefore placed Arab led parties in an important position because their combined 19 seats could influence which political camp forms the next government.

Meanwhile, Bennett's B'Yachad party announced on Sunday that it would recommend Eisenkot to President Isaac Herzog as the candidate to form the next government. Bennett reportedly directed the party to support Eisenkot's nomination and informed him of the decision.

The Democrats, led by Yair Golan, were also expected to support Eisenkot, although an official announcement had not been made at the time of the latest reports.

The opposition bloc is also exploring the possibility of forming a government without Netanyahu, potentially relying on support from Arab led parties and cooperation with ultra Orthodox parties. However, disagreements among opposition leaders could complicate these efforts.

Avigdor Lieberman, who leads Yisrael Beytenu, has ruled out cooperation with Arab led parties, making it more difficult for Eisenkot to assemble a government without a broader political agreement.

The Arab led political representation consists of the Joint List, which won 11 seats, and Ra'am, led by Mansour Abbas, which secured eight seats. Together, the two groups hold 19 seats, enough to give an opposition government a potential parliamentary majority if their support is combined with the 48 seat opposition bloc.

However, their cooperation is not guaranteed. There are significant political differences among the parties, particularly over the conditions under which Arab representatives could support a government.

Eisenkot faces difficulties in securing such support because some of his potential political partners oppose cooperation with Arab led parties. His political positions include preserving Israel's character as a Jewish and democratic state and addressing the issue of universal military or national service. There is also a difference between Arab parties joining a governing coalition and supporting a government from outside it.

The debate has brought renewed attention to the role of Arab parties in Israeli politics. In 2021, Ra'am became the first independent Arab party to join an Israeli governing coalition, helping an alliance led by Bennett and Lapid replace Netanyahu's government. That coalition eventually collapsed in 2022, leading to another election.

Netanyahu's political camp has also intensified its criticism of Arab led parties following the latest election. Likud has raised allegations of voter fraud and questioned the conduct of the electoral process, while Arab political leaders have rejected the accusations.

The allegations have prompted investigations into suspected electoral offences, including claims involving voter bribery and possible foreign interference. Qatar has also rejected allegations that it was involved in efforts to influence the Israeli election.

However, Israeli election officials have said that the investigations will not invalidate the overall election results, even if suspicions of foreign interference are substantiated. The authorities have maintained that investigations into possible individual offences do not establish widespread electoral fraud.

Justice Noam Sohlberg, chairman of Israel's Central Elections Committee, made the clarification alongside senior security and legal officials. The authorities said investigations would continue, but the election process would proceed according to schedule.

President Herzog has also called for credible allegations of electoral interference to be investigated thoroughly. At the same time, he warned against using the controversy to discredit the entire Arab community for exercising its democratic right to vote.

The president is expected to consult representatives of the elected political parties before deciding which candidate should receive the opportunity to form the next government. The official election results are scheduled to be submitted to Herzog on November 4, while the new Knesset is expected to convene on November 10.

Under Israel's government formation process, the president selects a member of the Knesset whom he considers most likely to secure sufficient support to establish a government. The selected candidate initially receives 28 days to complete the process, with a possible extension of 14 days.

Winning the largest number of seats does not automatically guarantee the right to form a government. The main consideration is whether a candidate can secure sufficient parliamentary support.

If neither Netanyahu nor Eisenkot succeeds in assembling a government, Israel could face another election.

For now, Netanyahu's reported willingness to consider a unity arrangement has introduced another possibility into the negotiations. However, with disagreements continuing within both political camps and the position of Arab led parties remaining uncertain, the formation of Israel's next government is still unresolved.