Former Israeli PMs join forces to dethrone Netanyahu in upcoming elections

Two former Israeli prime ministers have said they would join forces in upcoming elections expected later this year in a bid to dethrone longtime prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

On Sunday, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, who previously shared power under a rotation agreement, announced plans to merge their parties into a single political faction led by Bennett.

The move is intended to bring together opposition forces that have remained divided in recent years.

"The move is intended to unite the bloc, put an end to internal divisions and focus all efforts on winning the critical upcoming elections," Lapid’s Yesh Atid party said in a statement.

The two politicians previously led a coalition cabinet formed in 2021, which ended more than a decade of Netanyahu’s rule at the time.

Under their agreement, Bennett functioned as prime minister during the first year before the coalition collapsed. Lapid then assumed the role of caretaker prime minister for the final six months.

Subsequent elections returned Netanyahu to power.

Since then, Lapid has filled the position of head of the opposition, while Bennett stepped away from political life.

Despite notable differences, the two maintained a close working relationship during their time in the cabinet.

Observers commenting on the development said the Israeli regime's fragmented opposition has little in common, but shared disagreement with Netanyahu's acts as a uniting force.

The announcement of the pending alliance came amid raucous outcry within the regime over mismanagement and loopholes blamed on Netanyahu and his officials regarding the events of October 7, 2023.

The day saw Palestinian resistance fighters stage a historic operation against the regime, venturing deep into the occupied territories, encircling bases, and ensnaring hundreds of settlers.

Regime officials and settlers have also been piling pressure on Netanyahu over the sprawling destruction and significant casualties that have resulted from Iran's and regional resistance movements' daring retaliatory strikes in the face of Tel Aviv's unprovoked aggression.

Additionally, the Israeli prime minister has been grappling with a corruption scandal featuring bribery, fraud, and breach of trust for years, which has prompted his key ally and supporter, US President Donald Trump, to try to intervene to secure him a pardon.

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