Israeli right-wing leaders meet, discuss united bloc against Netanyahu

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
18 Jul 2024 11:16
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Israeli right-wing politicians Avigdor Lieberman and Naftali Bennett meet to figure out a potential opposition bloc, as Netnayhu's term suffers from multi-leveled failures.

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From left to right, Avigdor Lieberman, Benny Gantz, Yair Lapid, and Israel's former prime minister Naftali Bennett hold a first cabinet meeting in occupied al-Quds, occupied Palestine, on June 13, 2021. (AP)

Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman, the heads of the right-wing Israeli Yamina and Yisrael Beiteinu parties, met in a public place in Tel Aviv to discuss the formation of a new right-wing bloc, the Israeli Makan 33 broadcaster reported.

Both leaders are outspoken critics of the Benjamin Netanyahu government and have positioned themselves as the current coalition's rivals in the Israeli right-wing sphere.

Although Netanyahu's Likud Party has garnered the majority of secularist Israeli right-wingers, Lieberman's party has historically gained a strong minority of representation in the Knesset. On the other hand, Bennett co-led an Israeli government with centrist and current Opposition leader Yair Lapid and is seen as a possible replacement for Netanyahu by Israeli settlers.

However, figuring out the leadership of a collective "new right" mega party, that would rival and potentially substitute the current coalition, has proven to be elusive. Both politicians see themselves as potential chiefs of such a coalition, with Lieberman's office asserting that he would not play second-fiddle to anyone, The Times of Israel reported.

Makan 33 reports that Lieberman is interested in forming and heading the coalition, which he sees Bennett joining.

Israeli opposition struggles to unite, capitalize on Netanyahu's failures

The Israeli right-wing political parties not represented in the current government are wide-ranging and include Gideon Sa'ar's New Hope, Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot's State Camp, Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu, and Bennett's Israeli Yamina.

Attempts to form a united front between these parties failed when Sa'ar quit the State Camp alliance earlier this year, squashing his alliance with prominent Israeli politicians Gantz and Eisenkot.

More recently, Sa'ar engaged in talks with Lieberman about the possibility of entering a future election under a joint list, according to Makan.

The broadcaster reported that the two politicians held a tripartite meeting with Israeli Opposition leader Lapid, as Israeli opposition parties look to capitalize on Netanyahu's crises-ridden term in office, exacerbated by the war on Gaza.

Netanyahu holds a 2-hour session on criticism

On Monday, Lapid dismissed Netanyahu as a "crybaby and a coward," after the prime minister held a two-hour cabinet discussion on incitement by critics of the government.

Lapid said that he never complained about threats before, despite receiving many.

"Have you heard about it? Did I hold a press conference? Did I hold a two-hour special faction discussion?" the Opposition leader asked.

"I repeat and condemn any incitement, but here is a sentence that is not incitement: Netanyahu is a whiny, bad, and failed prime minister, who is only concerned with himself and his personal affairs, and he should go home."

Behind these public showdowns between the head of the Opposition and the Israeli prime minister lies multiple deep crises experienced by Israeli society, which have come as a result of Netanyahu's continued efforts to alter crucial Israeli laws.

The war on Gaza and the success of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, have only deepened the rift in the occupation and highlighted Netanyahu's coalitions' failure to lead the war and secure proclaimed goals, such as the release of captives and the uprooting of the Palestinian Resistance.