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There are strong indications now that the 12-long years of Benjamin Netanyahu’s, what his opponents call, corrupt rule in Israel will come to an end.

The development came after former defense minister of Israel and leader of Yamina party Naftali Bennett, late in the evening Sunday announced joining Yair Lapid’s coalition to form a new government in Israel.

Lapid, 57, is seeking a diverse alliance the Israeli media has dubbed a bloc for “change”, which would include Bennett as well as Arab-Israeli lawmakers.

In his determination to bring down the hawkish prime minister, Lapid has offered to share power and let Bennett, 49, serve the first term in a rotating premiership.

“Bennett, Lapid deal”

Under the deal between Bennett and Lapid, the two would share the office of Prime Minister, with Bennett initially to take the role for two years, and then to be replaced by Lapid for the remaining.

Lapid is trying to ensure the support of several small parties that are far apart on the political spectrum, in order to form a minority government that would be acceptable to Arab deputies.

Lapid has already reached agreements with the left-liberal Meretz Party, the Labour Party and former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party besides Bennett who joined the coalition yesterday.

A Lapid government would also include the centrist Blue and White party of Netanyahu’s rival Benny Gantz and the hawkish New Hope party of his former ally Gideon Saar.

Avigdor Lieberman’s pro-settlement Yisrael Beitenu party as well as historically powerful Labour and the dovish Meretz party would also join.

“Shaky Arrangement”

The shaky arrangement would need the backing of some Arab-Israeli lawmakers of Palestinian descent in order to pass a confirmation vote in parliament.

Netanyahu’s Likud party won 30 seats in the March elections but failed to form a governing coalition after his far-right partners refused to sit with Arab factions or receive their support.

Lapid, whose party won 17 seats, was then given four weeks to form a government. If Lapid succeeds, it would end bring an end to the era of Netanyahu, in office since 2009, as well as from 1996 to 1999.

“Netanyahu desperate”

On Sunday Netanyahu offered his own proposal of a rotation agreement with Bennett and Saar. But Saar on Twitter said he remained committed to “replacing the Netanyahu regime”.

Netanyahu in a video then called on Saar and Bennett to “come now, immediately” to meet him and join a three-way rotation government, warning they were “in crucial moment for the security, character and future of the state of Israel”.

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Featured image: Yair Lapid (R) with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken who recently visited the Middle East. (Image tweeted by Yair Lapid)