TEL AVIV, Israel — Residents of Tel Aviv woke up Wednesday to a jarring sight: a pop-up exhibit of a life-sized statue of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu enjoying a lavish meal by himself at a sprawling table, in a sendup of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” The installation,...
Israeli Supreme Court: Netanyahu May Form Government
JERUSALEM — Israel's Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may form a new government while under indictment for corruption charges, clearing the way for him and his rival-turned-uneasy ally to join together in a controversial power-sharing deal. The unanimous decision, released just before midnight, ended a 17-month...
Israeli Coalition Deal Keeps Netanyahu in Power
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his chief rival announced Monday that they have forged a deal to form an “emergency” government, ending months of political paralysis and averting what would have been a fourth consecutive election in just over a year. Netanyahu and former military chief Benny...
Israel’s Coalition Talks Falter Ahead of Midnight Deadline
JERUSALEM — Israel was bracing for more political turmoil Monday as talks between the country's rival political leaders faltered ahead of a midnight deadline to form a coalition government. Israel is in the throes of a political crisis that has left the country with a caretaker government and paralyzed legislative...
Netanyahu Rival Becomes Parliament Speaker, Signaling Deal
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's chief rival was chosen on Thursday as the new speaker of parliament, an unexpected step that could pave the way to a power-sharing deal between the two men as the country grapples with a worsening coronavirus crisis. The sudden turnabout by Benny Gantz,...
Netanyahu Rivals to Cooperate on Forming New Government
JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's chief rival said Monday that he has agreed with a smaller party to work together to form a new government following national elections last week. The announcement by Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White Party, dealt a new setback to Netanyahu as...
Arab Voters Key to Blocking Netanyahu-Led Hard-Line Majority
TIRA, Israel — A surge in Arab voter turnout was key to depriving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his nationalist allies of a parliamentary majority in this week’s Israeli election. Undercutting Netanyahu’s ambitions was celebrated as sweet payback in the nearly 2 million-strong minority that the hard-line leader had relentlessly...
Israeli Exit Polls: Netanyahu Ahead, but Short of Majority
JERUSALEM — Israel's embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced an uncertain path to staying in office on Tuesday, even as preliminary results showed his Likud party pulling ahead of its opponents in the country's third election in less than a year. Exit polls on Israeli TV stations showed Likud and...
Weary and Divided, Israel Goes Back to the Polls
JERUSALEM — For the third time in under a year, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking re-election, and once again the Israeli leader is on the ropes. After two inconclusive elections last year, opinion polls forecast another stalemate — a troubling scenario for Netanyahu, who will go on trial on...
Israel's Lieberman Stills Holds Keys to Future Government
JERUSALEM — Israel finds itself in a familiar place after a tumultuous election campaign — with maverick politician Avigdor Lieberman still seemingly in control of the country’s fate. The run-up to Israel's third election in less than a year saw criminal charges filed against the prime minister, an American Mideast...