Israeli Politics · updated 1h ago · 3 min read
Five Israeli Opposition Leaders Agree To Coordinate To Replace Netanyahu Government In October 27 Election
Israel opposition leaders sign pact to coordinate efforts to replace Netanyahu in October elections They pledge joint campaign teams on turnout, policy platform, and media coordination
Whether the pledge covers how the bloc leader is chosen.
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The Jerusalem Post
“The document did not address how the leader of the opposition bloc should be determined.”Read the original ↗
TRT World
“Discussions centred on mobilising turnout, attracting undecided voters, and maximising the bloc's prospects of securing a parliamentary majority.”Read the original ↗
TRT World and Anadolu emphasise coordination rules, while The Jerusalem Post foregrounds the lack of agreement on how the bloc leader is chosen.
Opposition pact formed
Five Israeli opposition leaders agreed on Saturday to unite their efforts to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in the election set for October 27, with Channel 12 reporting the meeting took place at opposition leader Yair Lapid’s home in Tel Aviv. The meeting brought together Yair Lapid, Avigdor Lieberman, Benny Gantz, Mansour Abbas, and Ayman Odeh, and the leaders published a joint photo and a principles document outlining coordination mechanisms until the elections and beyond. The document said the leaders pledged that “from today until the government is formed, no one from the bloc or anyone acting on behalf of a partner party will attack another bloc party or its leader,” and it called for three joint working groups within 48 hours.
The first working group would focus on increasing turnout, preparing for Election Day, and “preserving the integrity of the election,” while a second group would draft government lines including “equality in bearing the burdens” and an official commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023 events. The third working group would coordinate the parties’ media efforts and work jointly against “fake news and smear campaigns,” as the opposition sought a parliamentary majority to form the next government instead of Netanyahu’s.
Netanyahu attacks bloc
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attacked the opposition leaders’ agreement, accusing them of forming a government with Arab parties’ support after the meeting in Tel Aviv. Netanyahu posted on X that Yesh Atid head Avigdor Lieberman would, after the elections, form a left-wing government with Avigdor Liberman, Yair Golan, Naftali Bennett, and Arab parties, adding: “Only a big Likud will stop them.” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attacked the opposition leaders’ agreement to unite their efforts to topple Netanyahu and his government, describing their decision as “dangerous.”
In response, former prime minister and opposition leader Naftali Bennett said he was confident the opposition parties met in Tel Aviv could win 63 seats in the upcoming elections and form a new government. The sources also described disputes within the opposition over how to select a mutually agreed candidate for prime minister, with Gantz criticizing Bennett and Lieberman for not announcing clear rules.
Seats, coalition math
The opposition’s coordination effort centered on securing a parliamentary majority in the 120-member Knesset, with the sources stating that forming a government requires at least 61 votes. The Anadolu Ajansı report said recent opinion polls showed Netanyahu’s bloc trailing the opposition camp ahead of the October 27 election, while the Al-Jazirah Net report said Netanyahu had led the government since late December 2022. The Anadolu Ajansı report described the opposition’s working groups as drafting government guidelines that included “equality in sharing the burden,” limiting the prime minister’s term in office, drafting a new constitution, and preparing a plan for the government’s first 100 days.
The Al-Jazirah Net report said the document also called for an official commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023 events and for media coordination to counter “fake news and smear campaigns,” as the bloc tried to strengthen its ability to achieve a majority. The stakes in the sources were tied to coalition formation, with the Al-Jazirah Net report saying the opposition aimed to form a new government instead of Netanyahu’s, and the Anadolu Ajansı report saying the leaders pledged to work together immediately after the election to form the next government.