Netanyahu's chief rivals in Israel unite in bid to unseat him with coalition government


Last week, the chief political rival to Israel's caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, and former Netanyahu protégé Avigdor Lieberman agreed to jointly support legislation that would block Netanyahu or any other indicted member of Israel's Knesset (parliament) from forming a government. On Monday, Gantz announced that he would bid to form the next government with a coalition of his Blue and White party, Lieberman's secular nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party, and the Arab-led Joint List coalition.
Last week's national election — Israel's third in less than a year — ended with neither Netanyahu's Likud party nor Gantz's center-left bloc getting the necessary 61 votes to form a majority government. Likud and its allies got the most seats, 58, and a coalition of Blue and White's bloc, Lieberman's party, and the Joint List would have 62 seats. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will decide whether to give Netanyahu or Gantz first crack at forming a government next week, after polling each of the eight parties in the Knesset on which leader they would most likely support. Netanyahu's corruption trial is set to begin March 17.
After meeting with Lieberman on Monday, Gantz said the two "discussed questions of fundamental principle and determined that we will work together to assemble a government that will pull Israel out of the political deadlock and advert a fourth round of elections." Gantz also met with senior Arab politicians.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Actually coalescing into a government will be hard for Gantz, The Jerusalem Post reports. Lieberman has called Arab political leaders terrorists in the past, at least two of Gantz's Blue and White member publicly oppose forming a government with the Joint List, and three members of the Joint List's hardline Balad Party are unlikely to recommend Gantz to Rivlin. Passing legislation to block Netanyahu from forming a government is also tricky, even with majority support. You can read more at The Jerusalem Post.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
July 6 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include paying for school lunch by enlisting, and the banality of evil
-
5 biting editorial cartoons about 'Alligator Alcatraz'
Cartoons Artists take on dangerous green things, historical precedent, and more
-
A journey into the deep past on beautiful Arran
The Week Recommends New Unesco Global Geopark played a 'key role' in the birth of modern geological science
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling
-
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call
Speed Read Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended, pending an ethics investigation
-
Senate passes GOP megabill after Alaska side deal
The pivotal yes vote came from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, whose support was secured following negotiated side deals for her home state Alaska
-
Trump sues LA over immigration policies
Speed Read He is suing over the city's sanctuary law, claiming it prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities
-
Obama, Bush and Bono eulogize USAID on final day
Speed Read The US Agency for International Development, a humanitarian organization, has been gutted by the Trump administration
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami