The leader of right-wing Yamina party Naftali Bennett could announce as early as Sunday that he is joining opposition leader Yair Lapid to form a power-sharing government in Israel, sources familiar with the issue tell Axios.
Why it matters: If a new "change government" will be formed, Bennett will be prime minister and will bring an end to 12 years of Benjamin Netanyahu rule. Such a development could end the political crisis that led to four consecutive elections in two years.
Flashback: Three weeks ago, Lapid was on the verge of forming a power-sharing government that would see Bennett serve first as prime minister for two years before Lapid rotates into the job. But Bennett backtracked amid the Gaza conflict.
Driving the news: Bennett met Lapid on Thursday and according to several press reports told Lapid he wants to join a power-sharing government, but still needs to get other members of his party behind him, mainly his deputy Ayelet Shaked.
- Bennett held consultations on Saturday night (local time) with Shaked and other close confidants.
What to watch: On Sunday morning, he will hold a meeting with all the members of Knesset from his party to hear their views on the possibility of joining a "change government."
The big picture: If a new government is formed, it will be the most wide-ranging coalition ever formed in Israel.
Such a government will be highly fragile, avoid controversial issues, take all decisions in consensus and focus on the economy, post-COVID-19 relief and stabilization of the Gaza ceasefire. ...
- Even such an agreed-upon agenda will be very hard to implement and the government