Israeli opposition bloc: We will act immediately to replace Netanyahu and his 'Oct. 7th gov’t'

Leaders of the opposition bloc parties met in Herzliya on Tuesday for an initial joint discussion and announced that they will act immediately to replace what they called the “October 7th Government” with a National Emergency Government, “leveraging the clear parliamentary majority in the Knesset,” according to a joint statement.

During the meeting, leaders Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Golan, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, and Yair Lapid coordinated an action plan. The statement said the party leaders are aligned on the need to establish a Zionist government, based on the four principles set forth by Eisenkot, “as soon as possible.”

The leaders emphasized their full commitment to honoring the decision of Israel’s citizens, who, they said, “voted decisively and clearly in favor of change” and against the continued tenure of the current government. They also coordinated plans and steps to realize their parliamentary majority immediately, starting from the very first days of the Knesset.

They also highlighted what they referred to as a “dangerous and unhinged campaign of delegitimization” waged by Likud and Netanyahu against the election results and the Central Elections Committee. The opposition bloc leaders expressed their “unwavering commitment to defending the election results and the democratic process.”

Under an agreement reached by the party leaders, all the parties will recommend to the President of the State that Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar Party, be granted the first mandate to form a government. The objective, the statement said, is to establish a government as quickly as possible and “prevent Israel from being dragged into yet another round of elections.”

The party leaders agreed to maintain close and continuous coordination over the coming days, leading up to the swearing in of the new government.