The new PMs:Yamina party leader Naftali Bennett,left,smiles as he speaks to Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid.Credit:AP
In a statement on Twitter,Lapid said he had informed the country’s President,Reuven Rivlin,of the deal. “This government will work for all the citizens of Israel,those that voted for it and those that didn’t. It will do everything to unite Israeli society,” he said.
Under the agreement,Lapid and Bennett will split the job of prime minister in a rotation. Bennett will serve the first two years,while Lapid is to serve the final two years. The historic deal also includes a small Islamist party,the United Arab List,which would make it the first Arab party ever to be part of a governing coalition.
The agreement still needs to be approved by the Knesset,or Parliament,in a vote that is expected to take place early next week. If it goes through,Lapid and his diverse array of partners will end the record-setting 12-year rule ofNetanyahu.
Netanyahu,desperate to remain in office while he fights corruption charges,is expected to do everything possible in the coming days to prevent the new coalition from taking power. If he fails,he will be pushed into the opposition.
Set to be ousted:Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin.Credit:AP
Mansour Abbas,leader of the United Arab List,said his party made the “difficult decision” to join the coalition.
“This is the first time an Arab party is a partner in the formation of a government,” he told reporters. “This agreement has a lot of things for the benefit of Arab society,and Israeli society in general.”