Netanyahu Opponents Form Alliance for "Correction and Reconstruction"

Leaders of four Israeli political lists opposed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met at the Tel Aviv home of Yair Lapid, agreeing to a pact aimed at forming a "government of correction and reconstruction" after the upcoming elections. The signatories included current Knesset members Yair Lapid and Avigdor Lieberman, alongside politicians not currently in parliament: Yair Golan, Gadi Eisenkot, and Naftali Bennett.

In a memorandum signed at the gathering, the politicians declared themselves "leaders of the parties of correction." They stated their shared "super-goal" is to establish a "Zionist and state" government of correction and reconstruction, despite ideological differences. They pledged to work together to increase the bloc's electoral support across all societal segments to achieve a majority and form a government that will "preserve and strengthen Israel as a Jewish and democratic state."

The agreement includes a commitment to refrain from mutual attacks until a government is formed. Following the elections, the leaders will collaborate to establish the "government of correction and reconstruction." Three joint working groups will be formed: one to boost voter turnout and ensure election integrity, another to formulate principles for the next government including equal civic burden-sharing, an inquiry into the October 7th events, prime ministerial term limits, a constitution, and a 100-day plan, and a third for public relations, combating disinformation, and countering delegitimization campaigns.

This alliance echoes a previous bloc of parties, then calling themselves the "coalition of change," which included similar factions and lasted about a year in the previous Knesset. The current group has rebranded "change" to "correction." Recent polls suggest this bloc could garner between 45 and 52 seats. However, to form a government, they would likely require significant support from at least two other factions, potentially necessitating alliances with Arab parties or ultra-Orthodox parties if they continue to boycott Likud and religious Zionist parties.