Israel's National Unity Government Within Reach... Netanyahu Faces Loss of Power

Photo by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ)

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is increasingly likely to step down from his 15-year-held position as even the far-right party he was negotiating a coalition with has turned its back on him.

According to Bloomberg and other sources on the 30th (local time), Naftali Bennett, leader of the far-right party Yamina, announced that he would participate in coalition talks with the anti-Netanyahu alliance centered on Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid.

In a televised speech, Bennett stated, "Together with Lapid, I will do my best to form a national unity government, save our fallen country, and put Israel back on the right track."

The anti-Netanyahu alliance is a broad coalition spanning far-right to centrist, left-wing, and Arab parties, centered on the centrist Yesh Atid (17 seats) aiming to end Netanyahu's 15-year rule, including Blue and White (8 seats), Yisrael Beiteinu (7 seats), Labor Party (7 seats), New Hope (6 seats), Joint List (6 seats), and Meretz (6 seats). With Yamina (7 seats) joining, the coalition would hold 64 seats, surpassing the Knesset (Israeli parliament) majority threshold of 61 seats.

The anti-Netanyahu bloc began coalition negotiations from the night of the same day and must submit a coalition agreement to President Reuven Rivlin by midnight on the 2nd of next month.

If the anti-Netanyahu bloc succeeds in forming a coalition, Prime Minister Netanyahu will step down from the premiership he has held for 15 years and 2 months. Netanyahu first served a three-year term from 1996 to 1999 and then successfully returned to power on March 31, 2009.

Netanyahu is currently on trial for bribery, breach of trust, and fraud, accused of receiving tens of thousands of dollars in bribes. If he steps down, his political career is expected to be jeopardized. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and claims he is a victim of a political witch hunt by the anti-Netanyahu forces.

If a regime change occurs, Bennett is expected to serve as prime minister in the first half of the next government's term, with Lapid taking over in the latter half.

After Netanyahu, leader of the largest party Likud, failed to form a coalition, Lapid, who was granted the mandate earlier this month, launched a decisive move with the slogan "End Netanyahu's long-term rule."

In particular, Lapid offered Bennett, a former chief of staff to Netanyahu, a rotation system for the prime ministership, priority for the prime minister position, and a significant share of cabinet posts.

Although coalition talks within the anti-Netanyahu alliance were temporarily halted due to disagreements over the Palestinian issue amid escalating Israel-Palestine armed conflict triggered by an attack from the Palestinian militant group Hamas, discussions revived after both sides agreed to an unconditional ceasefire.

Cornered Netanyahu made a final offer to Bennett and Gideon Sa'ar, leader of New Hope, proposing a rotation system with priority for the prime ministership, but failed to break the unity of the anti-Netanyahu camp.

Netanyahu criticized Bennett's defection as "the fraud of the century" and claimed that a coalition government including left-wing parties would endanger Israel.

Israel has held four elections in the past two years amid coalition chaos. If the anti-Netanyahu alliance successfully forms a broad coalition government, a fifth early election can be avoided. However, foreign media point out that political turmoil remains severe, and disruptions due to disagreements over the Palestinian issue could recur at any time.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.