Israeli opposition parties reach deal to replace Netanyahu

JERUSALEM — The leader of a small hard-line party says he will try to form a unity government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opponents.

Sunday’s announcement by Yamina Party leader Naftali Bennett is a key step toward ending Netanyahu’s 12-year rule.

In a nationally televised news conference, Bennett said he would work to form a unity government with opposition Yair Lapid.

“It’s my intention to do my utmost in order to form a national unity government along with my friend Yair Lapid, so that, God willing, together we can save the country from a tailspin and return Israel to its course,” Bennett said.

He said he had made the decision to prevent the country from sliding into a fifth consecutive election in just over two years.

They have until a Wednesday deadline to finalize a deal.

In a statement Sunday, Netanyahu issued a desperate appeal for Bennett to avoid the temptation of joining his opponents.

He accused Bennett of deceiving his voters and abandoning his nationalistic principles “all in order to be prime minister at any price.”

In order to form a government, a party leader must secure the support of a 61-seat majority in parliament. Because no single party controls a majority on its own, coalitions are usually built with smaller partners.

As leader of the largest party, Netanyahu was given the first opportunity by the country’s figurehead president to form a coalition. But he was unable to secure a majority with his traditional religious and nationalist allies.

Netanyahu even attempted to court a small Islamist Arab party but was thwarted by a small ultranationalist party with a racist anti-Arab agenda. Although Arabs make up some 20% of Israel’s population, an Arab party has never before sat in an Israeli coalition government.

After Netanyahu’s failure to form a government, Lapid was then given four weeks to cobble together a coalition.

Lapid already faced a difficult challenge, given the broad range of parties in the anti-Netanyahu bloc that have little in common. They include dovish left-wing parties, a pair of right-wing nationalist parties, including Bennett’s Yamina, and most likely the Islamist United Arab List.

Lapid’s task was made even more difficult after war broke out with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip on May 10. His coalition talks were put on hold during the 11 days of fighting.