“Anti-” front, similar to the one that overthrew Viktor Orban, the political leaders in , are preparing for the next elections, as according to relevant announcements, but also publications in the elections scheduled for later this year (October 27) a center-right coalition that can be strengthened and overcome the dynamics of Likud and its allies will come down.
This initiative appears to be “run” by two former prime ministers – the rightist Naftali Bennett and the centrist Yair Lapid – who, after announcing the merger of their parties, “Bennett 2026” and Yesh Atid (“There is a Future”), then invited the former chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and party leader to join the coalition Yashar Gandhi Eisenkot, who in turn asked Bennett to coordinate with him for his next future moves.
Despite the fact that Eisenkot has not officially announced his participation, he appears rather positive in this perspective, since he claimed that he has a common goal with his other two “partners”, as he pointed out, namely the overthrow of Netanyahu in the elections.
The largest political formation
Polls show that a combination of the three parties could create the largest parliamentary force in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. On Monday, however, Eysenkot asked Bennett to coordinate any future political moves with him. Showing the magnitude of the challenge Netanyahu faces, a recent poll for the Maariv newspaper showed Bennett’s party tied with Netanyahu’s Likud party for 24 seats in the Knesset.
At the same time, Lapid’s party Yesh Atid would receive seven seats and Eisenkot’s party Yashar 12 seats. However, the peculiar nature of coalition politics in Israel means that Bennett could lose some of his support in a partnership with Lapid, as Likud voters who are strongly opposed to Lapid may alienate themselves.
Netanyahu is a difficult opponent
Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime minister in Israel’s history and returned to power after winning the November 2022 election, forming the most right-wing government in the country’s history. Since his first term in office in the 1990s, Netanyahu has developed into a highly divisive political figure both domestically in Israel and internationally.
Bennett and Lapid have worked together in the past, and it was they who ended Netanyahu’s 12-year run in power after the 2021 election. However, the coalition government they formed then, with a narrow parliamentary majority and sharp disagreements on issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, lasted just 18 months before finally handing the government back to Netanyahu.
The announcement of this new convergence came at a time when Netanyahu revealed that he had recently undergone surgery to remove a malignant tumor from his prostate, but also at a time when the Middle East is on fire – despite the truces – from the war in Iran and Lebanon, in which Netanyahu once again played an orchestrating role with Donald Trump.
What is happening in Israel?
The situation inside Israel could give impetus to an anti-Netanyahu coalition, as citizens are tired of the prime minister’s constant military campaigns. Besides, there are not a few who accuse him of using wars to stay in power himself, since due to the circumstances his pending court cases have been extended several times.
For their part, both Lapid and Bennett have been critical of Netanyahu, accusing him of failing to turn military gains into strategic victories against Iran and its backers in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip – Hezbollah and Hamas. In this context it is worth noting that Netanyahu is also feeling pressure from his allies and the parties of ultra-Orthodox Jews for the yema of military service, from which the community is asking for an exemption.
President Herzog “freezes” Netanyahu’s pardon
Meanwhile, Israel’s President has decided not to pardon Netanyahu for the time being on the corruption charges he is facing. Instead, according to officials, he will seek mediation to reach a plea deal.
For months, Isaac Herzog weighed the politically charged question of the pardon, an issue that has deeply divided Israeli society. At the same time, the President is under intense pressure from Donald Trump, who has intervened aggressively in favor of Mr. Netanyahu.
However, Mr. Herzog has no plans to pardon himself anytime soon. Two senior Israeli officials with direct knowledge of his intentions say the President wants to start a mediation process first. He believes that there are many options beyond the “yes or no” dilemma and sees his main role as the defense of national unity.
The legal impasse and the terms of the settlement
The 76-year-old Netanyahu has been on trial for nearly six years for bribery, fraud and breach of trust. He denies the accusations, calling it a “witch hunt” by the “deep state”, adopting rhetoric similar to that of Donald Trump. The US president has come down hard on Herzog, calling him “disgraceful” and “weak” for not yet granting a pardon.
Public opinion in Israel remains divided: polls show that about half of Israelis oppose the pardon. With national elections less than six months away and the country at war on multiple fronts (Gaza, Iran, Lebanon), Herzog realizes that any decision will be decisive for the country’s future.
A plea bargain usually requires an admission of guilt and the imposition of penalties. Legal experts point out that any deal would have to include a commitment by Netanyahu to retire from public office. “Admitting guilt and agreeing to withdraw from politics is the essence of any compromise,” says Yohanan Plessner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute.
Herzog’s “creative” outlet
Despite the Justice Department’s Pardons Division ruling that there is no legal basis for a pardon without an admission of guilt, Herzog is seeking a “creative” solution. He proposes holding informal talks, under presidential auspices, with the participation of the prosecutor’s office and Netanyahu’s lawyers.
The President’s goal is to resolve the crisis without further acrimony, even if the chances of success are slim. A denial of a pardon could rally Netanyahu’s supporters ahead of the election, reinforcing the narrative of political persecution, while an early pardon would spark a backlash from those who defend the rule of law.
