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Israeli Democratic Party leader Yair Golan said Wednesday that a new government could be formed within two to three weeks, as coalition negotiations between the opposition's change bloc and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties progressed amid disagreements over the participation of Arab parties.
“We need to form a government quickly. In my view, a new government can be formed within two to three weeks,” Golan told Israeli Army Radio.
It remained unclear whether Golan's assessment reflected concrete progress in the negotiations or his desire to accelerate the formation of a government.
His remarks came as Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot continued efforts to assemble a governing coalition after Israeli President Isaac Herzog tasked him Sunday with forming the next government.
Golan has repeatedly advocated forming a government in partnership with the United Arab List (Ra'am), led by Mansour Abbas, and with parliamentary support from the Arab Joint List, headed by Yousef Jabareen.
However, Avigdor Liberman, leader of the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party and a member of the change bloc, has rejected that approach.
Liberman has pledged not to join a government that includes Arab parties or relies on their parliamentary support.
At the same time, he has softened his opposition to joining a coalition that includes ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties.
Those parties are currently negotiating with Eisenkot's team over the formation of the next government.
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Herzog assigned Eisenkot the task of forming a government after parliamentary elections left both the opposition change bloc and incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's alliance without an outright majority.
During consultations with Herzog, factions representing 67 members of the 120-seat Knesset recommended Eisenkot for the mandate, compared with 46 lawmakers who backed Netanyahu.
A seven-member faction declined to recommend either candidate.
Eisenkot has 28 days to form a government, with a possible extension of up to 14 additional days.
Although Golan has suggested that a new administration could take office within two to three weeks, its formation remains dependent on the outcome of negotiations among the prospective coalition partners.
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