Israel’s opposition leader, Yair Lapid made steps closer to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after announcing an agreement with diverse political allies to form a new government. The Centrist and former finance minister informed the country’s president via email, saying “I am honoured to inform you that I have succeeded in forming a government.”
The alliance expected to command a slight majority in parliament was scheduled to be sworn within 10-12 days, giving little time for Netanyahu to sway lawmakers against it.
According to the coalition pact, Lapid’s partner, Nationalist Naftali Bennet, a former defence minister and high tech millionaire would serve as Prime minister and later hand over to Lapid after a 2-year rotation.
The coalition government comprises small and medium parties from across political spectrums, including a first-time party that represents Israel’s 21 per cent Arab minority called the United Arab List.
The lineup includes Bennett's Yamina (Rightward), centre-left Blue and White, headed by Defence Minister Benny Gantz, the left-wing Meretz and Labour parties, former defence minister Avigdor Lieberman's nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party and New Hope, a right-wing party headed by former education minister Gideon Saar, who broke away from Netanyahu's Likud party.
Vigil360news report that Netanyahu controls 30 seats out of the 120 member Knesset, nearly twice as Lapid’s Yesh Atid party controls.
