Naftali Bennett, an Israeli nationalist hardliner, stated on Sunday that he would join a hypothetical coalition government that would bring the country’s longest-serving leader, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to an end.
Lawmakers opposed to right-wing Netanyahu have been in urgent discussions ahead of a Wednesday deadline, as a truce held during the latest deadly Israeli war in the Gaza Strip with Islamist organization Hamas.
Netanyahu, 71, who is on trial on allegations of fraud, bribery, and breach of trust, which he denies, has clung to power during a time of political turbulence that has seen four inconclusive elections in less than two years.
In a March election, Netanyahu’s Likud party won the most seats, but he was unable to form a government for the second time.
Yair Lapid, the opposition leader, and former TV presenter, now has until Wednesday evening to assemble a rival alliance.
Lapid, 57, is pursuing a diversified alliance termed a “change bloc” by Israeli media, including Bennett and Arab-Israeli politicians.
In order to bring down the hardline prime minister, Lapid has proposed to share power and allow Bennett, 49, to serve the first term in a rotating premiership.
Bennett stated on Sunday, during a meeting with members of his religious-nationalist Yamina party, “I will do everything to build a national unity administration with my buddy Yair Lapid.”
Lapid and Bennett’s parties stated in a statement that discussions to formalise the agreement began on Sunday night.
Yamina, a religious-nationalist party, gained seven seats in the March 23 elections, but one of its members has refused to join an anti-Netanyahu alliance.
Netanyahu, who has been in government for 12 years following a prior three-year tenure, lashed out at the idea in his own broadcast address minutes later, calling it “a menace to Israel’s security.”
