Daily Briefing June 3 – Dream team or motley crew? Change bloc (maybe) coalesces

Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East, and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Today’s panel comprises ToI editor David Horovitz and our Hebrew sister site Zman Yisrael editor Biranit Goren, along with host Amanda Borschel-Dan.

Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid announced late Wednesday night that he has managed to herd the “change” bloc into a 61-member coalition. Yamina head Naftali Bennett is set to assume the prime ministerial role until September 2023, at which time Lapid will take up the mantle until November 2025.

But will the coalition actually come to pass? We discuss some of the innumerable obstacles facing the (motley) crew of politicians as its leaders continue rounding up their members until the Knesset vote.

Who says there’s nothing new under the sun? If the Lapid-Bennett coalition comes to pass, there are a full string of firsts to accompany it. It is not, however, the first time an Arab party is part of a Knesset coalition. Goren gives some highlights.

Discussed articles include:

Lapid informs president he can form government removing Netanyahu from power

Lapid and Bennett have a coalition on paper, but Netanyahu will fight to the end

Change bloc seeks to replace Knesset speaker; Yamina MK says he won’t back move

History made as Arab Israeli Ra’am party joins Bennett-Lapid coalition

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