Two rivals join forces in bid to oust Netanyahu
Prime minister says they would destroy economy
JERUSALEM — The two main challengers to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined forces Thursday in a united front ahead of April elections.
Retired military chief Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid, head of the Yesh Atid party, appeared together on live TV late Thursday to announce their partnership, saying they were putting aside their personal rivalry in a shared goal to oust Netanyahu.
“Something went wrong this past decade. Israel has lost its way,” Gantz said. “Instead of separation, we offer unity. Instead of extremism, we offer patriotism. Instead of incitement, we offer national reconciliation.”
Opinion polls on Israeli TV stations showed the new “blue and white” alliance jumping ahead of Netanyahu’s Likud Party. Netanyahu, taking to the airwaves later Thursday, dismissed his challengers as “leftists” who will destroy the country.
Netanyahu is pursuing a fourth consecutive term, and opinion polls have forecast another Likud victory in the April 9 election.
But Gantz, a popular political newcomer, has emerged as a potent challenger since announcing his candidacy late last month.
Gantz has the added attraction of being a former military chief, a key credential with the security-obsessed electorate. He also has enlisted two other former military chiefs, Moshe Yaalon and Gabi Ashkenazi, to join their ticket.
The two leaders reached their agreement after concluding that joining their two parties together would win more votes than if they ran separately.
“A winning team needs to be led. I wouldn’t be standing here today if I didn’t believe that Benny Gantz could lead us to victory and then lead the country,” said Lapid, who put his own ambitions of becoming prime minister on hold to form the partnership.
Under their arrangement, the two agreed to a rotation leadership should they come to power. Gantz would first serve as prime minister and would then be replaced by Lapid after two-and-a-half years.
Opinion polls showed Gantz and Lapid leapfrogging over Likud, forecasting as many as 36 seats in the 120-seat Parliament for their new alliance.
Netanyahu responded on live TV by branding his opponents “leftists” and novices who will destroy the economy.
He said Lapid and Gantz would conspire with small Arab parties to prevent him from forming a parliamentary majority.
“Tonight the decision is as clear as it ever was: a new left-wing government, weak, led by Lapid and Gantz, with a blocking majority of Arab parties, or a strong right wing government presided over by me,” Netanyahu said.