OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — Israel's opposition
leader moved closer to unseating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday
when he completed coalition deals with political allies to form a new
government, Israel's Army Radio reported.
اضافة اعلان
About one hour before a midnight deadline, Yair Lapid, a centrist who has the
task of forming the next governing coalition after the right-wing Netanyahu
failed to do so in the wake of a March 23 election, was expected to officially
inform President Reuven Rivlin that he has the backing of a majority of Knesset
members to press ahead and swear in a new Cabinet.
Lapid's main partner is nationalist Naftali Bennett, who would serve as premier
first under a proposed rotation between the two men. Their coalition government
would comprise a patchwork of small and medium parties from across the
political spectrum, including for the first time in Israel's history
a party that represents Israel's 21% Arab minority.
But the fragile new government, which would command a razor-thin majority in
parliament, was only expected to be sworn in in around 10 days, leaving slight
room for Netanyahu's camp to try and abort it by turning lawmakers over to
their side and vote against it. Israeli political analysts widely expected
Netanyahu to try every possible political maneuver to make this happen.
During a 12-year run in top office, Israel's longest serving leader
has been an often polarizing figure at home and abroad. An end to his tenure
may bring reprieve from domestic political turmoil, but major shifts in Israel's foreign
policy appear less likely from the staunch U.S. ally.
.jpg)
.jpg)
