June 2 (UPI) — Israeli opposition lawmakers said Wednesday they’ve agreed to a power-sharing government that will oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the first change in leadership in more than a decade.
The lawmakers notified President Reuven Rivlin of the agreement, which requires a vote by the full Knesset to go into effect. The Washington Post reported the vote would likely happen within the next two weeks.
“I commit to you Mr. President, that this government will work to serve all the citizens of Israel, including those who aren’t members of it, will respect those who oppose it and do everything in its power to unite all parts of Israeli society, Yesh Atid Party leader Yair Lapid wrote to Rivlin in a letter at 11:35 p.m.
Lapid faced a midnight deadline to announce the formation of a coalition.
The coalition involves lawmakers from eight political parties from the left and far right. Among them, the United Arab List, the first Arab party group to join a right-leaning coalition in Israeli history, The New York Times reported.
The agreement could put an end to two years of wrangling that’s included four national elections.
The coalition would put Yamina Party leader Naftali Bennett in power in place of Netanyahu. He would later be succeeded by Lapid.
Bennett and Lapid announced their plans to form a power-sharing government and oust Netanyahu over the weekend.
