JERUSALEM, April 28 (Xinhua) -- With fragile ceasefires pausing Israeli hostilities against Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah, Israel's domestic arena has erupted: A resurgent opposition alliance, the resumption of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's long-running corruption trial, and the looming October elections are converging to threaten Netanyahu's hold on power.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and opposition leader Yair Lapid, head of the Yesh Atid party, on Sunday announced a joint political list named "Together" to challenge Netanyahu's bloc in the parliamentary elections in October.
Bennett said he will lead the new party, vowing to "open a new chapter" and establish a state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on day one of office.
Lapid said Israel "needs to change direction," calling the alliance "the first step" toward that goal and urging centrist political forces to support Bennett.
Israel's unicameral parliament, the Knesset, has 120 seats, with a majority of at least 61 required to form a government. Due to a fragmented political landscape, no single party has ever governed alone, making coalition governments the norm. In recent years, the political arena has largely been split into pro- and anti-Netanyahu blocs, with shifting power dynamics.
In the 2021 elections, Lapid joined forces with Bennett, a right-wing figure who supports West Bank settlements, to end Netanyahu's 12-year consecutive rule. Together, they formed a broad coalition spanning right-wing, centrist, and left-wing parties, and served as prime ministers in a rotation arrangement from June 2021 to December 2022.
However, internal divisions on key issues, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, caused the government to collapse. Netanyahu returned to power at the end of 2022, leading what is widely seen as Israel's most right-wing government to date.
While most Israeli media suggested that the new Bennett-Lapid alliance could reshape the political landscape, its actual impact remains uncertain.
A poll released by Israeli outlet Walla on Monday showed that if elections were held now, Netanyahu's Likud party would win 28 seats, up from 24 in previous projections, while the newly-formed "Together" party would secure 27 seats, fewer than the 31 held separately by Bennett's and Lapid's parties, suggesting limited immediate gains for the anti-Netanyahu camp.
A party led by former Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot is projected to win up to 15 seats, making him a key figure in the opposition. If Eisenkot joins the Bennett-Lapid alliance, the combined list could surpass Likud but still fall short of the 61 needed to form a government.
While the three figures remain divided on sensitive issues such as the Palestinian question, they share common ground on conscription reform, a state inquiry into the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, economic adjustments, and curbing judicial overhaul efforts. According to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, this "limited differences, broad consensus" approach could appeal to a wider electorate.
From a campaign perspective, Israeli political analyst Yossi Verter noted that Bennett is likely to attract right-leaning voters disillusioned with Netanyahu, while Lapid brings organizational resources, funding, and parliamentary experience.
However, Verter cautioned that it remains uncertain whether this synergy will translate into electoral gains, as structural fragmentation in Israeli politics continues to challenge stable governance.
Meanwhile, as Israel's fighting with Iran and Hezbollah has been temporarily put on hold for the most part, Netanyahu's corruption trial has resumed. He attended a hearing on Tuesday after multiple postponements citing "security reasons."
Indicted in early 2020 for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, Netanyahu faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted on the bribery charge, and up to three years for the other charges.
Despite the current ceasefires with Iran and with Lebanon, Israel maintains a hardline stance toward Iran, and continues intermittent strikes across Lebanon, citing ceasefire violations by Hezbollah. Analysts have warned of a lingering risk of renewed escalation given these developments.
Amid the approaching elections, opposition realignment, and ongoing legal pressures, they noted, the current right-wing government may place greater emphasis on security and external issues and adopt a more hardline foreign policy. ■
