Local Authority Leaders Call for Broad National Unity Government
Local authority leaders Haim Bibas and Shay Hajaj called for a broad national unity government after election results left neither political bloc with a parliamentary majority.
The head of the Federation of Local Authorities, Haim Bibas, and the head of the Regional Councils Forum, Shay Hajaj, both members of the Likud party, called on party leaders on Thursday to establish a broad national unity government, declaring it an absolute imperative of the hour.
The appeal follows the final tally of double-envelope votes, which left neither political bloc with the 61 mandates required to form a majority coalition. The results show 53 mandates for the bloc led by Benjamin Netanyahu, 48 mandates for the bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot, and 19 mandates held by Arab parties.
"The State of Israel faces critical security and political challenges, requiring functional continuity and stable leadership. The public has exhausted repeated election cycles, and it is time for a resolution," Bibas and Hajaj stated. They emphasized that another election cycle would fail to alter the political map and would only deepen societal divisions.
Bibas and Hajaj stressed that local governance operates effectively in both routine and emergency times through long-standing partnerships among municipal leaders across the political spectrum, proving that cooperation delivers optimal services to residents. "We do not expect you to abandon your worldviews or blur your differences. A healthy democracy requires debate, public discourse, and the representation of diverse opinions," they added.
Bibas notably declined a reserved spot on the Likud Knesset list. Although he was a vocal critic of Netanyahu during the judicial overhaul, the two drew closer ahead of this week's elections, with Bibas advising behind the scenes and managing the Likud mayors' forum in coordination with Netanyahu.
