Israel may get a government without long-time leader

Opposition to Benjamin Netanyahu takes shape

The opponents of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have decided to forget the differences and to form a new government in Israel together. Naftali Bennett, the leader of the right-wing alliance, Jamina, confirmed in Jerusalem, and that he has all this to do with a coalition with Jair Lapid, Yesh Atid.

Netanyahu was unable to form a government within the four-week deadline following the elections he had just won in early May. The longest-serving leader of the country gave the mandate to form a government back to President Reuven Rivlin.

Lapid was then commissioned to form a government. Bennett’s Yamina party had a key position to help a coalition gain a majority.

The 49-year-old Bennett, a former party member of Netanyahu and former minister of Defense, and Lapid are going to replace each other as prime minister, according to Israeli media. The first two years are for Bennett, who said on Sunday that it has now become clear that a right-wing Cabinet is currently impossible. The only options are therefore new elections, the fifth in two years, or a government of unity with Lapid.

The Israelis will have to go to the polls again in accordance with the law if no government coalition takes off before Thursday. According to various media there is a Cabinet agreement on Monday with the cooperation of Bennett and Israel can continue with a new, but fragile coalition just before the deadline.

Lapid’s Future Party became the country’s second party behind the right-wing Likud Party, led by Netanyahu. But in fragmented politics, the second party represented only 17 of the 120 seats in Parliament.

Lapid therefore made agreements with the Labour Party, The Left-liberal Meretz and the nationalist Yisrael Beitenu (Israel our home). He hopes to maintain a minority government with the support of a number of smaller parties. He also thinks that the ten Arab parliamentarians would be prepared to give their support under certain conditions.

Netanyahu has long been prime minister and has formed a series of coalitions, especially with highly Orthodox Jewish parties. He was prime minister from 1996 to 1999 and has been prime minister since 2009. No Israeli Prime Minister was at the helm that long. His position came under pressure as Netanyahu is involved in a number of corruption cases.

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