Leaders of five Israeli opposition parties have agreed to coordinate their campaigns ahead of next month's general election in a concerted drive to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and establish an alternative coalition.
The leaders of the self-styled "change bloc" convened at the Tel Aviv home of opposition leader Yair Lapid, approximately one month before the October 27, Knesset election, Israeli Channel 12 reported.
The meeting brought together Lapid, head of Yesh Atid; Gadi Eisenkot, leader of Yashar; Naftali Bennett, chief of Beyachad; Avigdor Lieberman, head of Yisrael Beiteinu; and Democrats leader Yair Golan.
Discussions centred on mobilising turnout, attracting undecided voters, and maximising the bloc's prospects of securing a parliamentary majority.
Non-aggression pledge
Following the talks, the five politicians published a signed document establishing principles for pre-election coordination and post-vote coalition building.
Under the agreement, each leader committed to energising their base while strictly prohibiting internal infighting: "from today until the formation of the government, none of us, nor anyone acting on our behalf, will attack a partner party in the bloc or its leader."
The pact creates three joint working groups within 48 hours.
The first will oversee election-day readiness, voter turnout, and election integrity.
A second will draft core coalition guidelines—including equitable national service, term limits for prime ministers, a formal state commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023, attacks, a new constitution, and a 100-day legislative plan.
The third team will coordinate media messaging and combat disinformation.
The agreement followed friction among Eisenkot, Bennett, and Lieberman over selecting a single candidate for prime minister.
Lieberman urged the bloc to prioritise the overall parliamentary outcome over leadership rankings.
Netanyahu, who has led Israel's most right-wing coalition since late 2022, trails in recent surveys.
He faces an ongoing domestic corruption trial and an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
