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| Naftali Bennett |
In Israel, the much going on political circus reach its climax over the possible imminent end of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's record as head of state. After four consecutive parliamentary elections in less than 2 years, finally, opposition leader Yair Lapid is about to form a new government
Media reports suggest that
he was on the verge of forming a coalition that would end Netanyahu's
twelve-year tenure as prime minister. Bennett, 49, should announce as early as
Sunday whether he would join Lapid, who heads the Yesh Atid party. What is
still not a parliamentary majority following the March 23 elections, which
ended in a dead-end, such a diverse grouping could be fragile and need external
support from an Arab member. Parliament whose political views are different
from those of Yamina. Bennett has been silent in public for the past few days,
and Likud party leader Netanyahu has fueled speculation that his term would end
in a tweet and video on Friday.
Yamina announced late Saturday that Bennett would meet and update his lawmakers on Sunday after reports emerged that he'd agreed to a deal that would see him serving as Prime Minister before Bennett, the former Secretary of Defense, earlier changed course to remove Netanyahu. 71, a right-wing leader who has been in power consecutively since 2009 and is now on trial on corruption charges, which he denies. It was reported that it ended shortly before fighting between Israel and Hamas broke out in Gaza on May 10.
Bennett said during the
hostilities that he would give up efforts to form a coalition with the center
and left. But a ceasefire is maintained, a recent wave of street violence in
Israel between Palestinian and Jewish citizens has subsided, and the
Lapid-Bennett partnership may get back on track. Yet, Israeli political
commentators do not take anything for granted. Can a new Yair Lapid and Bannett's government Reform Israel?