Israel Opp. near deal to topple Netanyahu

Ex-TV anchor Lapid trying to build coalition

Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opponents on Sunday appeared to be moving closer toward a coalition deal that could end the 12-year rule of the longtime Israeli leader. Naftali Bennett, leader of the small Yamina party and a kingmaker, scheduled an 8 pm news conference about decision to join the alliance.

Jerusalem, May 30: Israeli politicians Sunday inched closer to forming a coalition that would end the era of right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the country’s longest serving leader.

Politicians opposed to Netanyahu were in intense talks ahead of a Wednesday night deadline, as a ceasefire held following the latest deadly military conflict with Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu, 71, who faces trial on fraud, bribery and breach of trust charges which he denies, has held onto power through a period of political turmoil that saw four elections in under two years.

After an inconclusive March vote in which Netanyahu’s Likud party gained the most seats but again failed to form a government, former TV anchor Yair Lapid is now trying to build a rival coalition. Lapid, a centrist, is seeking to forge a diverse alliance the Israeli media has dubbed a bloc for “change”, which would

include the nationalist hardliner Naftali Bennett as well as Arab-Israeli lawmakers.

In his determination to bring down the hawkish prime minister, Lapid has offered to share power and let Bennett serve the first term in a rotating premiership. Netanyahu, in office for 12 consecutive years after an earlier three-year term, tried to cling to power Sunday by offering his own, lastditch power-sharing agreement to several former allies including Bennett.