JEDDAH: Opposition politicians in Israel face a deadline of midnight on Wednesday to form a “change” coalition and oust Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister.
The new alliance is being led by former TV presenter Yair Lapid, the secular centrist head of the Yesh Atid party, and right-wing religious nationalist Naftali Bennett, the tech multimillionaire who leads the Yamina party.
Lapid has agreed to allow Bennett to serve first as a rotating prime minister in a power-sharing agreement, before taking over halfway through their term.
The two men are racing to cobble together a disparate coalition of political groups from across the Israeli political and ideological spectrum, who are united on only one issue — distaste for Netanyahu.
In addition, the Knesset arithmetic dictates that to reach a 61-seat majority in the 120-seat parliament, the new coalition will almost certainly have to include Raam, the conservative Islamist party led by Mansour Abbas.
Political analyst Afif Abu Much said on Tuesday that Abbas would not seek ministerial posts, but wanted chairmanship of two parliamentary committees and budgets for Arab communities.
He also aimed to revoke a law that increased penalties for illegal construction, which has had a disproportionate impact on Arab communities. “They don’t want to be part of the government,” Abu Much said. “What they want is to be the address of the Arab people in Israel.”
Abbas said on Tuesday that coalition talks appeared to be heading “in a good direction,” but he added: “Until it’s finished, nothing is finished.”
While the numbers appear to be against Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister is a skilled political operator who has survived numerous challenges during 12 consecutive years in office, and analysts cautioned against writing him off. Political scientist Jonathan Rynhold said his opponents had a strong hand but Netanyahu was “the best card player by miles.”
Race to form coalition as midnight deadline looms to oust Netanyahu
https://arab.news/mz43r
Race to form coalition as midnight deadline looms to oust Netanyahu
- Islamist party leader holds key to opposition majority in Israeli parliament
UN force in Lebanon says peacekeeper wounded by Israeli fire
- UNIFIL reiterated its call to the Israeli army to “cease aggressive behavior and attacks on or near peacekeepers working for peace and stability along the Blue Line”
BEIRUT, Lebanon: The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said an Israeli attack near their position in the country’s south wounded a peacekeeper on Friday, reiterating a call for Israel to “cease aggressive behavior.”
It is the latest incident reported by the peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, where UNIFIL acts as a buffer between Israel and Lebanon and has been working with Lebanon’s army to support a year-old truce between Israel and militant group Hezbollah.
“This morning, heavy machine gunfire from Israel Defense Forces (IDF) positions south of the Blue Line impacted close to a UNIFIL patrol inspecting a roadblock in the village of Bastarra. The gunfire followed a grenade explosion nearby,” UNIFIL said in a statement.
The force added that “the sound of the gunfire and the explosion left one peacekeeper slightly injured with ear concussion.”
Also on Friday, UNIFIL said “another patrol carrying out a routine operational task also reported machine gunfire from the Israeli side in immediate proximity to their position” in Kfarshuba, south Lebanon.
The peacekeeping force said it had informed the Israel army of its activities in these areas.
Earlier this month, UNIFIL said Israeli forces fired on its peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.
Last month it said Israeli soldiers shot at its troops in the south, while Israel’s military said it mistook blue helmets for “suspects” and fired warning shots.
In October, UNIFIL said one of its members was wounded by an Israeli grenade dropped near a UN position in the country’s south, the third incident of its kind in just over a month.
“Attacks on or near peacekeepers are serious violations of Security Council resolution 1701,” the peacekeeping force added, referring to the 2006 resolution that formed the basis of the November 2024 truce.
UNIFIL reiterated its call to the Israeli army to “cease aggressive behavior and attacks on or near peacekeepers working for peace and stability along the Blue Line.”
Israel carries out regular attacks on Lebanon despite the truce, usually saying it is targeting sites and operatives belonging to Hezbollah, which it accuses of rearming.
It has also kept troops in five south Lebanon areas it deems strategic.
