Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces challenges from the country's centrist Members of Knesset after they announced a new coalition on Thursday.
Yesh Atid party head Yair Lapid and retired military chief Benny Gantz have tabled a list of MKs ready to stand for elections on 9 April that "will constitute the new Israeli ruling party", the pair said in a joint statement which also stated that they were "motivated by national responsibility."
— (((Yair Rosenberg))) (@Yair_Rosenberg) February 21, 2019
"The new ruling party will bring forth a cadre of security and social leaders to ensure Israel's security and to reconnect its people and heal the divide within Israeli society," they said.
The coalition promises a rotating leadership if elected, where Mr. Gantz would become prime minister first and Mr. Lapid would replace him later, with former military chiefs, Gabi Ashkenazi and Moshe Yaalon following after.
— Yesh Atid (@YeshAtidEng) February 21, 2019
— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) February 21, 2019
Mr. Ashkenazi said that he was joining the new party due to the "pivotal moment and the national task at hand." But the joint list of candidates must win a parliamentary majority with other parties if it wishes to form the next government.
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Mr. Netanyhu has been embattled by corruption allegations and could potentially face indictment. The prime minister has ratcheted up a right-wing support base to defer the charges. He reached a deal on Wednesday with two marginal religious-nationalist parties to bolster his power in the Knesset.
