THE OPPOSITION: The center-right opposition politician Yair Lapid and the party Yesh Atid are said to have reached an agreement with other parties to form a government, according to Israeli radio. Photo: AP / NTB
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Opponents of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are said to have reached an agreement, and Israel may soon have a new government, according to Israeli radio.
The center-right opposition politician Yair Lapid and the Yesh Atid party, which has until Wednesday to form a government, are said to have reached an agreement with Naftali Bennett in the right-wing nationalist and settler-friendly party Yamina.
According to Israeli radio, an official announcement is expected shortly, after the two party leaders have informed their own.
Lapid and Bennett are said to have agreed to share the post of prime minister by holding it for two years each.
Has secured support
Lapid’s party won the second largest election in March, the fourth in two years in Israel. According to Israeli media, Lapid is now negotiating with the right-wing party New Hope, which is led by Likud defector Gideon Saar. He is a staunch opponent of a two-state solution with the Palestinians.
Lapid has all secured support from the left-wing Meretz party, the Israeli Labor Party and Avigdor Lieberman’s Nationalist Party Yisrael Beiteinu.
—-THANKS YES: Naftali Bennett, who leads the right-wing nationalist and settler-friendly party Yamina, is said to have agreed to government cooperation with the center-left party Yesh Atid. Photo: AP / NTB
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Bad news for Netanyahu
The news of the formation of a government is bad news for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been in power since 2009.
Netanyahu does not succeed in gathering enough support for a new coalition government by the deadline, and if he has to move out of the prime minister’s residence, he could end up in prison.
The charges against the 71-year-old are for bribery, fraud and breach of trust, and the trial is all underway. Testimony so far has painted a flattering picture of Netanyahu, who himself denies criminal guilt and claims to have been subjected to political persecution.
Embarrassing defeat
In recent months, Netanyahu has seemed increasingly stressed and hurled criticism at political rivals, something he also did on Saturday. Then he made an almost desperate plea for cooperation with Bennett and Saar, to “prevent a dangerous left-wing government.”
Netanyahu has also suffered several embarrassing defeats in the National Assembly, most recently a month ago, when the elected representatives turned their thumbs down for his attempt to appoint a close supporter as acting Minister of Justice.
There have also been major protests outside the prime minister’s residence in recent months, with protesters demanding Netanyahu’s resign and shouting slogans such as “Crime Minister”.
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