Leaders from five Israeli opposition parties have formally joined forces in a strategic effort to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government during the upcoming Knesset election on October 27. The coalition, referred to as the "change bloc," held a meeting at the Tel Aviv residence of opposition leader Yair Lapid to finalize their pre-election coordination.
The assembly included Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid, Gadi Eisenkot of Yashar, Naftali Bennett of Beyachad, Avigdor Lieberman of Yisrael Beiteinu, and Yair Golan of the Democrats. Their discussions were focused on increasing voter turnout, appealing to undecided citizens, and maximizing the bloc's potential to secure a parliamentary majority.
To solidify their collaboration, the politicians signed a document outlining principles for their campaign and future coalition building. A central component of the agreement is a strict non-aggression pledge. The document states that from the present until a new government is formed, none of the leaders or their representatives will attack any partner party or its leadership within the bloc. This agreement follows past tensions between Eisenkot, Bennett, and Lieberman regarding the selection of a single prime ministerial candidate, with Lieberman advocating for a focus on overall parliamentary results rather than individual leadership rankings.
The pact mandates the creation of three joint working groups to be established within 48 hours. The first group will concentrate on election-day readiness, voter turnout, and ensuring election integrity. The second will focus on drafting core coalition guidelines, which include establishing a formal state commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023, attacks, setting term limits for prime ministers, enacting a new constitution, promoting equitable national service, and developing a 100-day legislative plan. The third group is tasked with coordinating media messaging and countering disinformation.
Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has led Israel’s most right-wing coalition since late 2022, currently trails in recent polling. He continues to navigate a domestic corruption trial and faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant related to allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
