Netanyahu attacks opposition bloc coordinating for October 27 election

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticised five opposition leaders who have agreed to cooperate ahead of the October 27 Knesset elections.

The leaders – Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid, Naftali Bennett of Bennett 2026, Avigdor Lieberman of Yisrael Beiteinu, Gadi Eisenkot of Yashar and Yair Golan of the Democrats – met at Lapid’s home in Tel Aviv on Saturday, according to Channel 12.

Netanyahu responded on X, claiming the Yashar leader would seek to form a government with the opposition parties and asserting that “only a strong Likud will stop them”. He also posted an AI‑altered image that added United Arab List leader Mansour Abbas and Hadash‑Ta’al leader Ahmad Tibi to the picture.

The opposition group posted a joint statement outlining a coordination plan that includes three working groups to be set up within 48 hours. The first will focus on boosting voter turnout and safeguarding election integrity; the second will draft basic guidelines for a prospective government, including a commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023 attacks and a new constitution; the third will coordinate media activity and counter “fake news and smear campaigns”.

Bennett, a former prime minister, said on X that he is “filled with hope again tonight” and confident the bloc can win 63 seats and form a government to “fix Israel”.

Source: Al Jazeera. Photo: Pham Ngoc Anh / Pexels.