An opposition leader in Israel, Yair Lapid, has expressed optimism about the strength of opposition forces to remove Benjamin Netanyahu from power as Prime Minister.
Lapid, in comments carried by Israel’s 103FM radio, believes that Netanyahu can be removed as Prime Minister if opposition parties unite against the government.
“This government should be overthrown, I think it can be overthrown.
“Now that Gantz has finally left the government, we have the means. The opposition will work together; we will unite it without ego to bring down the government.”
Opposition against Netanyahu’s government is rising as the war in Gaza drags on, claiming over 30,000 Palestinian lives. The Prime Minister is also facing criticisms within his cabinet.
He was forced to disband his war cabinet, a small cabinet within the coalition government, after the resignation of his main political rival, Benny Gantz, a centrist Minister and Gadi Eisenkot.
Gantz’s resignation was premised on the argument that Netanyahu has no post-war plans for Gaza and is reluctant to conduct Israel’s long-due election.
“Netanyahu is preventing us from advancing toward true victory. That is why we are leaving the emergency government today, with a heavy heart but with full confidence,” Gantz said at a televised news conference on Sunday.
“There should be elections that will eventually establish a government that will win the people’s trust and be able to face challenges. I call on Netanyahu to set an agreed election date,” he said after his resignation on June 9.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu has decided to replace the disbanded six-member war cabinet with a “kitchen cabinet”. Far-right ministers, who are advocating for the complete illegal occupation of Palestinian land in Rafah and the West Bank, are lobbying to join Netanyahu’s new kitchen cabinet.