Israel’s political system rocked as rivals to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu join forces for election challenge

Israel’s primary centrist challengers to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday they were joining forces, a dramatic move that rocked the country’s political system and created the first credible alternative to Netanyahu’s decade-long rule.

Retired military chief Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid, head of the Yesh Atid party, said they would present a joint list for the upcoming Israeli elections that “will constitute the new Israeli ruling party.” In a joint statement, the two said they were “motivated by national responsibility.”

“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. A formal announcement is expected later in the day.

Recent polls suggest that together, the two could surpass Netanyahu’s ruling Likud to become Israel’s largest faction after the April 9 vote. Under their unity arrangement, the two agreed to a rotation leadership should they come to power under which Gantz would first serve as prime minister and would then later be replaced by Lapid.

Following them in the joint list would be a pair of other former military chiefs, Gabi Ashkenazi and Moshe Yaalon. Ashkenazi announced he was joining the new party because of the “pivotal moment and the national task at hand.”