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AFP
Jerusalem
The two main challengers to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced an electoral alliance Thursday, posing a threat to the premier’s long tenure in office as he also faces potential corruption charges.
While polls have consistently shown Netanyahu is likely to win the April 9 election, the combined power of his two main challengers from the political centre will at minimum shake up the campaign.
An announcement by Israel’s attorney general ahead of polling day of charges against the prime ministers would greatly boost the new alliance’s cause, but it is unclear when a decision in the investigations will be unveiled.
Netanyahu has tacked further to the right as he faces the potential indictments and the challenge from the newly allied centrist politicians: Benny Gantz, a respected former armed forces chief of staff, and Yair Lapid.
He demonstrated that Wednesday by brokering a deal which could potentially see an extreme-right party win seats in parliament, leading critics to say he was pandering to “racists”.
Gantz and Lapid have seized on such moves and the investigations to promote their alliance as one that can restore Israel’s values.
Jerusalem
The two main challengers to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced an electoral alliance Thursday, posing a threat to the premier’s long tenure in office as he also faces potential corruption charges.
While polls have consistently shown Netanyahu is likely to win the April 9 election, the combined power of his two main challengers from the political centre will at minimum shake up the campaign.
An announcement by Israel’s attorney general ahead of polling day of charges against the prime ministers would greatly boost the new alliance’s cause, but it is unclear when a decision in the investigations will be unveiled.
Netanyahu has tacked further to the right as he faces the potential indictments and the challenge from the newly allied centrist politicians: Benny Gantz, a respected former armed forces chief of staff, and Yair Lapid.
He demonstrated that Wednesday by brokering a deal which could potentially see an extreme-right party win seats in parliament, leading critics to say he was pandering to “racists”.
Gantz and Lapid have seized on such moves and the investigations to promote their alliance as one that can restore Israel’s values.
