{"id":69213,"date":"2021-05-30T13:32:11","date_gmt":"2021-05-30T13:32:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=69213"},"modified":"2021-05-30T13:32:11","modified_gmt":"2021-05-30T13:32:11","slug":"israels-netanyahu-seeks-to-thwart-deal-to-oust-him","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=69213","title":{"rendered":"Israel’s Netanyahu seeks to thwart deal to oust him"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"News Desk:<\/strong> Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to dissuade his opponents from forming a government as he seeks to hold on to power.<\/p>\n

Centrist party leader Yair Lapid has until Wednesday to build a coalition.<\/p>\n

Media reports from Israel say he is close to reaching agreement with ultra-nationalist leader Naftali Bennett.<\/p>\n

Mr Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving PM, fell short of a decisive majority at a general election in March – the fourth in two years.<\/p>\n

Mr Lapid could be close to reaching a deal, says BBC Middle East analyst Sebastian Usher.<\/p>\n

Mr Netanyahu, who is on trial for fraud, has been in power for 12 years and has dominated Israeli politics for a generation. He was given the first chance at forming a government but was unable to secure the coalition partners needed.<\/p>\n

Mr Lapid's Yesh Atid party came second to Mr Netanyahu's right-wing Likud at the last election and was given until 2 June to build a coalition.<\/p>\n

Our analyst says the outcome of the negotiations depends on whether Mr Bennett, a former defence minister, will agree to share power in what has been described as a “change” government.<\/p>\n

However, he cautions that no one should yet count out Mr Netanyahu, 71, whose political survival instincts remain second to none.<\/p>\n

Mr Lapid's 28-day mandate to form a government was interrupted by the recent 11-day conflict in Gaza.<\/p>\n

One of his potential coalition partners, the Arab Islamist Raam party, broke off talks because of the violence.<\/p>\n

There were also clashes in Israeli cities with mixed Arab and Jewish populations.<\/p>\n

On Saturday night, Mr Netanyahu's Likud party made an offer to Mr Bennett and the leader of another potential coalition party to share the premiership in a three-way split.<\/p>\n

However, his offer was rejected.<\/p>\n

If Mr Lapid is unable to agree a coalition, Israelis could be going back to the polls again later this year.<\/p>\n

Under Israel's electoral system of proportional representation, it is difficult for a single party to gain enough seats to form a government outright. Smaller parties are usually needed to make up the numbers needed for a coalition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

News Desk: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to dissuade his opponents from forming a government as he seeks to hold on to power. Centrist party leader Yair Lapid has until Wednesday to build a coalition. Media reports from Israel say he is close to reaching agreement with ultra-nationalist leader Naftali Bennett. Mr Netanyahu, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":69214,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2,14],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n