Yair Golan accuses Benjamin Netanyahu of wanting to exploit a security crisis to delay alternation. In a statement broadcast Monday, November 2, 2026, the leader of the Democratic Party calls on the opposition to the Prime Minister to speed up the formation of a government. His accusations relate to his intentions to the Israeli leader, not to a decision announced by him.
The left-wing leader directly links the country’s security to the political negotiations initiated after the 27 October legislative elections. He claims that Netanyahu could cause an escalation in order to retain power. This warning is not evidence of the existence of such a project.
Yair Golan calls for rapid alternation
« Netanyahu will not hesitate to push Israel towards a security escalation and to establish a state of emergency to hinder the transfer of power, » says Yair Golan. He also accuses him of being prepared to provoke a crisis that would endanger the Israelis and disrupt the democratic process.
His intervention also targets his political partners. The leader of the Democrats asks them not to let the discussions on the next government simmer. It presents the speed of an agreement as a security issue, beyond the mere desire to replace Netanyahu.
The day before, Golan had already warned of a risk of further confrontation with Iran. He cited Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Yaïr Lapid and Avigdor Lieberman as one of the leaders with the necessary experience to lead another policy. Again, it was his political assessment, not the announcement of a military operation.
Partners still to be convinced
At the end of Monday, an Israeli media reported that the leaders of the bloc had said they wanted to recommend Gadi Eisenkot to President Isaac Herzog. Such support is a step in the process of appointing the candidate to form the government.
It is not confused with an agreement on the composition of the executive. The same media reports that Avigdor Lieberman still excludes participation in a minority government. The question of the conditions of formation of the next firm is therefore open to a candidate.
The state of emergency does not remove the institutional framework
The terms used by Golan do not describe an automatic mechanism for maintaining power. The Basic Law on Government provides that the outgoing executive shall continue in office until the next one is constituted. This institutional continuity differs from the opponent’s charge of obstruction.
The same text covers the state of emergency. The Knesset may declare it and revoke it. In the event of an emergency which prevents the Government from waiting for its meeting, it shall have the option of a provisional declaration subject to the conditions of Article 38.
Above all, article 41 prohibits emergency regulations from amending this Basic Law or temporarily suspending its application. To invoke a security crisis is therefore not sufficient to establish that an alternation would be legally prevented.
Monday’s statement adds public pressure to discussions between parties. The immediate issue remains their ability to translate these exchanges into joint commitments on the formation of the next government.
Sources
- Zman Israel, statement by Yair Golan on 2 November 2026, entrance at 1515 hours.
- Statement of 1 November, relayed by Israeli journalists and archived.
- Knesset, Basic Law on Government, Articles 30, 38 and 41.
Illustration Credit: Shlomi Amsalem / Knesset Archives —source of photography. Composition and photography underCC BY-SA 4.0; whole photograph resized, added editorial dressing.
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