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Opposition heads seek ‘war room’ to overthrow Netanyahu

A poll revealed that 70% of the public would like elections pushed forward, but also showed a strengthening of the coalition.

Israel Beiteinu leader Avigdor Liberman speaks during a press conference in Tel Aviv, March 19, 2019. Photo by Tomer Neuberg/Flash90.
Israel Beiteinu leader Avigdor Liberman speaks during a press conference in Tel Aviv, March 19, 2019. Photo by Tomer Neuberg/Flash90.

Opposition leaders announced on Monday evening their intention to meet to discuss “coordinating moves to overthrow the government.”

The office of opposition leader and Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid announced that he and Gideon Sa’ar, chairman of the New Hope Party, will meet together with Israel Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Liberman on Wednesday.

The announcement came after Liberman held a press conference earlier Monday calling for the creation of a “war room” to “overthrow this government,” adding that “Benjamin Netanyahu’s continued rule endangers the future of the State of Israel.”

Kan Radio reported that the three would like to see National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz, a member of the War Cabinet in the current government, depart the coalition even earlier than he plans.

On May 18, Gantz threatened to quit the government if it didn’t come up with a plan for defeating Hamas and setting up an internationally run administration in a post-war Gaza. He gave a deadline of June 8.

In April, Gantz said he would like to see elections in September, just under a year after the start of the war.

Sa’ar, who split from Gantz’s faction in March, said in an interview last week, “There won’t be a War Cabinet once Gantz is out.”

A May 23 Kan News poll revealed that 70% of the public would like to see elections pushed forward. The poll found, however, that Netanyahu’s coalition had strengthened vs. previous ones, receiving 52 mandates.

David Isaac, an expert on Jewish history, politics and current events, is an Israel bureau correspondent for JNS.
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