Yair Lapid

Israel was approaching the end of an era after the last-minute formation of a motley coalition that could in the next few days oust veteran leader Benjamin Netanyahu, the country's longest-serving prime minister.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's opponents announced on June 2 that they have reached a deal to form a new governing coalition, paving the way for the ouster of the longtime Israeli leader.

Leaders of the far-right Yamina and centrist Yesh Atid, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, and Ra''am (United Arab List) chairman Mansour Abbas have reached an agreement on a unity government whose deadline was midnight local time.
In a statement on Twitter, Lapid said that he informed the president of the country about the agreement.

Israeli opposition parties have reached an agreement to form a new government that would end Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year tenure as prime minister.

Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, announced an eight-faction coalition had been formed.

A former ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on May 30 said he would seek to form a coalition government with the Israeli leader's opponents, taking a major step toward ending the rule of the longtime premier.

Israelis began voting on Tuesday in a fourth election in two years, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hoping a world-beating COVID-19 vaccine rollout will win him another term.

With coronavirus precautions at polling booths across the country - and ballots at the airport for quarantined Israelis coming home to vote - opinion polls show the race yet again too close to call.

Final opinion polls published Friday put Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rightwing Likud party four seats behind its centre-left rival with four days to go before a general election.

Several polls released on Friday -- the last day opinion surveys can be released before Tuesday's vote -- showed the Zionist Union pulling further ahead of Likud after an intense campaign.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced he wants early elections as soon as possible after dismissing two rebellious cabinet ministers. 

A statement from Netanyahu's office said: "The prime minister plans to call for parliament's dissolution as soon as possible and to go to the people and get a clear mandate to lead Israel."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, enmeshed in a cabinet crisis, said on Dec. 1 he would call an early national election unless rebellious ministers stopped attacking government policies.

The most potent of the rebels, centrist Finance Minister Yair Lapid, pushed back against Netanyahu's ultimatum after the two held a late-night meeting.