Anti-Netanyahu bloc vows not to let chance to replace government slip away

Sources in the change bloc told Walla on Tuesday that there will be no second chance, and that party leaders must be ready to break promises and make painful compromises to form a government.

As parties in the opposition bloc, the parties seeking to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government awaited the official results on Tuesday evening; a sharp, clear message was already emerging behind the scenes:

This time, they do not intend to let the chance to unseat the government slip away. Sources in the bloc told Walla that after this campaign, and all the effort poured into it, there will be no second chances.

"All the stars aligned in this election campaign," the source told Walla. "After October 7, with the haredi issue that hurt the right-wing parties and shifted voters away from them, we managed to create a united bloc of people from the Right, the Center and the Left. Four tightly knit parties, with surplus-vote agreements, while the Right failed to get organized and wasted votes."

Opposition activates 'all systems' of voter turnout

The source said the bloc's unprecedented get-out-the-vote drive also obliges party leaders to seize the moment. "We brought people from abroad especially to vote; we made an enormous effort to reach maximum voter turnout; we activated all the systems. Now we need to form a government. Period."

The bloc recognizes that building a coalition may require painful compromises, backing away from campaign pledges and even making deals with parties some of its leaders vowed never to join in government. This time, however, the sources said, there will be no patience for ego battles or for clinging to campaign promises.

"Whoever needs to break promises, let him break them; whoever needs to swallow his pride, let him swallow it. There's no choice. It's now or never," the source said. "Next time, the demographic changes, and especially the growth of the haredi population, may already make their mark. It's not certain we'll get an opportunity like this again."

Despite the determination, the bloc knows everything hinges on the final results and whether it can form a parliamentary majority capable of replacing the government. Still, the message to party leaders on Tuesday evening was clear: If the numbers allow it, no one can afford to be the one who let the opportunity slip.