US explores Israeli opposition to press Netanyahu replacement
Channel 12 reports Washington has opened informal contacts with Naftali Bennett and Gadi Eisenkot ahead of Israel's election.
The administration of US President Donald Trump is reported to be exploring alternative political support in Israel after repeated clashes with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, especially over the war and a ceasefire that also includes Lebanon. Channel 12 reported that officials in Washington view Netanyahu's cabinet as overly dominated by hard-liners and have begun informal contacts with opposition figures such as Naftali Bennett and Gadi Eisenkot. A Maariv poll published last week showed the opposition bloc could form a government with 61 seats, ahead of Netanyahu's bloc, projected to win 49 seats. The report comes as the US and Iran hold technical talks in Swiss, while Israel refuses to comply with an agreement negotiated without its involvement.