Golan eyes minority government with Arab support as Bennett faces election suspicions - analysis

Tensions and mutual suspicions are emerging within the Eisenkot-led bloc over efforts to form a government, with sources questioning whether Democrats party leader Yair Golan and former prime minister Naftali Bennett are genuinely committed to establishing a coalition with the haredi parties.Sources within the bloc have expressed doubts about Golan's willingness to move forward with a 61-seat government that includes the ultra-Orthodox parties. According to these sources, Golan clearly prefers the option of a minority government supported by the Joint List and Ra'am and has no interest in forming a coalition with the haredi parties. They maintain that he is not merely keeping both options open but is clearly leaning toward the minority government route.Against this backdrop, the same sources interpret the liberal legislation on religion and state introduced and submitted by the Democrats as a reflection of the party's genuine ideological position. In their view, the bills are not merely lip service, an attempt to appeal to voters, or a way to pressure the haredi parties. This disagreement is emerging as one of the first major points of contention within the Eisenkot-led bloc.Suspicions grow over Bennett's intentionsAnother source of suspicion within the bloc concerns Bennett's conduct. His faction did not hold a meeting open to the media, instead issuing a brief statement without allowing journalists to ask questions.