Netanyahu’s Rivals Sign Cooperation Pact Ahead of Israeli Election

DID Press: Leaders of five major parties opposing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have signed a joint agreement aimed at closer coordination ahead of the Oct. 27 parliamentary election, pledging to refrain from attacking one another until a new government is formed.

The agreement was signed Saturday evening, Sept. 26, at the Tel Aviv home of Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid. Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, Yair Golan and Lapid discussed coordinating their election campaigns and plans for a future government.

Under the agreement, the parties will cooperate to increase voter turnout, coordinate media activities and formulate principles for a future government. Their leaders also agreed not to campaign negatively against member parties of the bloc or their leaders until a government is formed.

However, a major disagreement remains unresolved: the parties did not agree on a joint candidate for prime minister. They agreed to address the issue of leadership of the next government after the election. The question has previously been a source of disagreement among Eisenkot, Bennett and Lieberman.

The agreement also calls for joint working groups to boost voter participation, formulate the main principles of a future government and coordinate media activities.

The deal comes as Netanyahu’s opponents have in recent weeks differed over their electoral strategy and how to determine a future leader for the bloc. The new agreement therefore focuses primarily on electoral cooperation and preventing internal competition, rather than establishing a unified political alliance with a designated leader.