Israeli opposition parties reach agreement to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

[Dennis Donovan]

Source: WaPo

By Shira Rubin
May 30, 2021 at 1:16 p.m. EDT

JERUSALEM — A diverse coalition of Israeli opposition parties said Sunday that they have the votes to form a unity government to unseat Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader and its dominant political figure for more than a decade.

Under the agreement, reached after weeks of negotiations spearheaded by centrist opposition leader Yair Lapid, former Netanyahu defense minister and ally Naftali Bennett will lead a power-sharing government.

“We could go to fifth elections, sixth elections, until our home falls upon us, or we could stop the madness and take responsibility,” Bennett said in a televised statement Sunday evening. “Today, I would like to announce that I intend to join my friend Yair Lapid in forming a unity government.”

Netanyahu has been struggling to hold onto power after four inconclusive elections in the past two years while facing an ongoing corruption trial. Bennett is one of several former loyalists who have flirted with joining the so-called change coalition, a collection of parties that span the political spectrum but share a desire to end Netanyahu’s 12-year tenure.

-/snip-

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/israel-netanyahu-bennett-lapid/2021/05/30/af2df7b4-c11d-11eb-922a-c40c9774bc48_story.html

[bahboo]

1. Inshalla...

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. It worries me that the rumour is that Bennett will be the first PM in the coalition

I fear he'll have his time, then break the coalition before the more moderate Lapid takes over.

[temporary311]

14. That's all but assured.

It usually doesn't work out well for the left in the long run when they team up with the right.

[PortTack]

3. Good news...unfortunately I understand the new government is about as crooked

Don’t know..bibi is right up there with the orange mass

[hlthe2b]

4. I'm tempted to make a Trump comparison, but the major thing those two have in common is corruption.

Sure they have their own respective brands of RW lunacy, racism, and manipulative narcissism, but beyond that, the two could not be more different. For all my dislike, Netanyahu is at least well-educated and intelligent. Still, there may be a lot of similarities in their unrelenting followers.

Buh, Bye, Bibi. Will we see you in court?

[EX500rider]

11. "I'm tempted to make a Trump comparison"

Definitely some major differences, Netanyahu was a team leader in the Sayeret Matkal special forces and took part in many missions and graduated from the MIT with a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science.

[hlthe2b]

12. I have a friend who went to high school with him in Philadelphia area. Definitely well-educated.

and not a coward, unlike Trump.

[BumRushDaShow]

20. He went to Cheltenham High (in Montgomery County)

not far from where I live in Philly and I drive by it all the time on my way to some of the nearby strip mall stores in Glenside.

[Baitball Blogger]

5. Looks like Neti was a uniting force in Israel, afterall.

The opposition groups are Lady MacBeth, resolved in saying to Neti, "Out, OUT, Damn Spot!"

[BComplex]

6. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Netanyahu is an awful person in every respect. Israel is going to be blessed to be rid of him. I just hope they can move forward in a more just and humane way, and be part of the solutions in the mideast, instead of part of the problem. If the Arabs can talk any sense at all into Hamas, as they have said they will try to do, maybe there can begin a path to peace for Israelis and Palestinians.

This world has got to change and evolve in a better direction. We have to be rid of governments that sow authoritarianism and discord.

[former9thward]

10. The new PM is to the right of Netanyahu.

[IronLionZion]

21. Indeed, Naftali Bennet wants to send the Palestinians to Jordan

and formally annex the West Bank and Gaza into Israel. He is militantly opposed to any 2 state solution.

[NH Ethylene]

22. OMG. Maybe if he goes in that drastic direction, the US will finally stop the blind support. n/t

[FlyingPiggy]

7. It's about time! That trash needed to be taken out long ago.

[patphil]

8. I agree. His removal is long overdue.

[Rustyeye77]

18. Be careful what you wish for.

Naftali is a lot more take no shit.

[ananda]

9. Just do it!

Get Netanyahu outta there!

[TheRickles]

13. Looks like that "distraction" he triggered in Gaza didn't work.

Yes, I'm cynical, but I believe Bibi intentionally provoked that tragic situation by setting up police patrols at al Aqsa during the holy days of Eid. I think he hoped the inevitable firefight would strengthen his political position by bringing Israelis together, enabling him to lead another coalition (and to therefore maintain immunity against the legal charges he's facing).

But unfortunately, Bennett will be PM before Lapid, which means hard-liners will still run the show.

[patphil]

15. That may have actually helped the opposition come together to oust him.

[TheRickles]

16. Yes, good point!

[Grimelle]

17. Isn'? Naftali to right of Bibi?

if that's even possible.

[IronLionZion]

24. It's like in the US GOP

where many folks thought Nixon was the worst the Republican party would give us, then Reagan, then W. Bush, then Trump. I worry about what comes next.

Bennet wants to expel the Palestinians to Jordan and have just a one state solution.

[BobTheSubgenius]

19. That Bibi has been able to hang onto power as much as he has under current circumstances...

...is impressive. Not necessarily in a good way, but impressive nonetheless. It does not speak well for the pragmatism of the Israeli people that a prickly (to be kind) old warhorse (again, to be kind) facing a fairly devastating corruption trial can hang on to power when his chief "achievement" is keeping the West Bank a battle zone.

[former9thward]

23. The West Bank is not a battle zone.

The only battles which have taken place over the last several years have been in Gaza which has nothing to do with the West Bank.

[Humanist_Activist]

25. Depends on what you mean by battle zone, Settlement violence is up this year...

and the Israeli authorities appear to let it happen.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/04/1089752

[former9thward]

26. Battles are fought by governments.

Not people confrontations. The West Bank is not a battle zone. That is why they didn't partcipate in the lastest Gaza/Israel battle despite Hamas pleading with them to join in.

[Humanist_Activist]

27. Never heard of this restriction before...

I mean, the media, worldwide, has no problem referring to places of conflict, even among non-state actors as battlezones when appropriate.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/paris-turned-into-battle-zone-as-yellow-vest-protests-escalate/articleshow/66903782.cms?from=mdr

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-20/kiev-ukraine-protests-before-after/5272570?nw=0

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/farmers-protest-mea-slams-vested-interests-social-media-turns-battle-zone/articleshow/80678310.cms

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/17/yangon-becomes-battle-zone-as-myanmar-junta-enforces-martial-law

You could argue that these have some state actors, but then again, you could also argue that the Israeli settlers are also state actors, being that they commit their acts of violence under cover of the Israeli government.

[BobTheSubgenius]

29. I meant "Gaza," but my fingers typed "West Bank."

It's not like I missed all the reports and desperately awful photos and video.

[The Wizard]

28. He's past his due date.

[BobTheSubgenius]

30. Also known as the "sell by" date.

I think there's a metaphor in there, somewhere.

[greenjar_01]

31. "Oust" He lost the election

What's this "oust" shit?