Perhaps let's just have new elections. The blackmail and bullying by Lapid and Bennett has not been lost upon the Israeli voters. I don't think either will do terribly well in a new round of elections -- skewed polls to the contrary notwithstanding.

I think the results of the last election showed people that there IS an alternative to the stagnation of Netanyahu, and that there is enough support for Yesh Atid and Beit HaYehudi to form a viable government. IF we go to new elections, I think the new kids on the block will greatly improve their standing.

i believe that he is wasting time, so Bibi fails to form a government, then new elections will be made, so he can be a PM, i hope that Bibi fails to form the government, so he forces Bennett to bring the haredim instead of Lapid, a government with the haredim with the Kendel plan will be more zionist and nationalist, Bibi by accepting to decrease the number of ministries, has made the government to go further to the left because both Likud and Jewish Home gave up two ministries, i dont know why Lapid returned on his word after agreeing that the number will be 25, i believe that the idea to have a government with 18 ministers only cant work with the political system, as it will cause unstability, if Bibi succeded to form the government with Lapid, it will last two or three years at maximum shalom

Don't see this coalition lasting very long!

Every time Sarah B has a thought, it brings her a little closer to a Nobel War Prize. Her thinking is consistently destructive

What has our education minister acheived exactly - an OECD record in cheating in exams, hardly a good example - an attempt to drive the people who produce the schoolbooks out of business, and increasing nationalist conent at the expense of co-existence, Anythign is better than Saar.

It's simply not going to happen. Gideon Sa'ar is not only very, very good as minister for education, but he's one of the most popular MKs in the Likud lineup. Lapid needs to learn his place. He only got 19 mandates and those can be quite easily replaced with the haredi 18. He hasn't won the right to expect all his demands to be met without question. Bayit Yehudi are secretly hoping that he will continue to try and push this though, as it would give them an excuse to break their ill-concieved aliance with this anti-religion, anti-settlements, anti-unity school drop out.

If Netanyahu ran the elections like Likud voters wanted, Likud would have had 40--45, and he could have made any coaltion he wanted. Instead, he wildly attacked Bayit Yehudi bringing on a situation where he cannot make a coalition without Lapid and, if he goes to new elections, Likud dissappears and Lapid is Prime Minister. In the reality of negotiations, when Lapid says jump Netanyahu has to say how high. Netanyahu could have listened to the Likud and gone down in history as a great prime minister. Instead he chose to drink the Oslo KoolAid and will be remembered as a pathetic failure. He can blame no one but himself. Now some advice: quit tomorrow, appoint Sa'ar as head of Likud, apologize to Bayit Yehudi and hope the Haredi rabbis fear Lapid more than the Zionists.

Frankly, we've had enough Orthodox (rabies) in the government and we certainly don't need another one in control of our children's education! Likud's Saar has done a great job by promoting a right of center, secular-nationalist education that promotes civil education, zionism, democracy, respect for gays and lesbians, and minorities while promoting Jewish and Israeli zionist values! Not to mention Israel education system has improved and been recognized for that internationally by the OECD!

To say the least, I am sadly surprised by many readers' comments. It shows how people are used to the shameful and egotistic behavior of Likud heavyweights, who are ready to do anything to be appointed "Ministers" and so have their ego pleasantly massaged. Why do you blame Lapid and Bennet for being not docile enough for Bibi-schemer to take his Government out of magician's hat: voila! You blame new boys for being not easily corrupted and holding to their promises to the voters, while the behavior of Likud heavies seems to you so natural and one to be reasonably expected. I find such an attitude shameful, to say the least. This is the base on which the political self-servers are able to play their dirty games.

this neophyte with zero experience wants to transform israel with the stroke of his puny pen. his major concern is his own career, not the people or the national security. hopefully, zero lapid will lose the game. zero lapid is not a ben gurion or a rabin. he better keep that in mind.

bibi will submit to lapid's demands for education. On the other hand, lapid did not get foreign affairs. Bibi can't take pressure and does not want to go to the electorate who would give him less seats which would be followed by likud throwing him out. he's going out in the next months or year anyways as he like barak is finished compared to new leaders emerging. Bibi could have agreed to these terms right from the beginning. On the other hand, lapid who has done little in his lifewalks around some bigshot with his old tired oslo ideas that his father shared with the coward olmert. and his party is more like meretz than anything else. So don't hold your breath on lapid as future pm. But he sticks to his position so far much better than bibi.

I found your commentary surprisingly right on target; "suprisingly" because you appear to see through the melee even though you don't reside here. Or is it "because" you don't? At any rate, many people are having a hard time accepting the new alignment because it is not only not made of the same old same old but due to the fact that there is a possibility that politics as ideology (Bennett's and Lapid's) is now in the forefront as opposed to Netanyahu's snakelike manipulative behaviours. Were we to have new elections, it's very evident that Likud would still slip even further while Yesh Atid and Bayit Yehudi would increase. We, citizens of Israel, are desperate for an effectual government and a depart from the old rotten ways.

bibi will submit to lapid's demands for education. On the other hand, lapid did not get foreign affairs. Bibi can't take pressure and does not want to go to the electorate who would give him less seats which would be followed by likud throwing him out. he's going out in the next months or year anyways as he like barak is finished compared to new leaders emerging. Bibi could have agreed to these terms right from the beginning. On the other hand, lapid who has done little in his lifewalks around some bigshot with his old tired oslo ideas that his father shared with the coward olmert. and his party is more like meretz than anything else. So don't hold your breath on lapid as future pm. But he sticks to his position so far much better than bibi.

I am so proud of myself for voting for Lapid. Not that I like him, but he certainly is doing a job on Bibi

someone who is hostile to Judaism as Education Minister!

It is time the PM forms a Coalition with Shas instead of Lapid's group. It is better to have a group that knows the GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to be in government.

Dear Robert, thanks for your talkback. My commentary is on target for reason that I am an Israeli citizen since 1972, but for circumstances beyond my control had to leave a few years later. I made a few times efforts to return, but couldn't find even a place to live in today's Israel full of unsold 2 mln shekels flats. I am also a journalist and am watching quite closely all these years what's going in Israel and here in Britain. I must say, with a heavy heart, that I find Israeli political life especially distasteful and shameless. Here in Britain when a Parliament Member is found to be less than honest, he usually quickly loses his seat. Alas, in Israel most of old MKs happily sit forever in their Knesset seats thanks to party lists AND the populus so used to dishonesty and trickstery as to be almost completely indifferent and taking it as a hot weather in summer. That's why I think new guys like Bennet and Lapid, whatever their political views, are very welcome and should be applauded by all of us for their honesty and steadfastness. Bibi, on such a background, looks even more revolting with his sneaking attempts to corrupt these young guys - in "best" traditions of old Israeli political machinations and backstabbing.

How does this sound? Religious MK: No seculars in the goverment. Not that we have a problem with the seculars, on the contrary, they are jews and are part of the jewish nation, it's just that, errr..... we can't..... errrr.... force any changes on the seculars which they are oppsed to when they are part of the goverment. The burden must be shared by all the Israeli's including the our secular bretheren, whether they like it or not, this is a demokratia, where only some have rights, the burden of Torah study must be equally shared by all. It seems to be okay when Lapid makes this statement in the reverse, I'm wondering if the scenario was reversed how well it would be excepted.

Bibi is now getting a dose of his own medicine. And of course kowtowing to the Ultra-Orthodox and others that has resulted in a NIS 40 BILLION deficit! Netanyahu should listen to what HIS MK's like Hatubelli and Danon are saying - "We lost the election" and we will be very lucky if we get 20 seats in a new election!" Gidon Sa'ar has done a good job but he did nothing to encourage the study of Core Subjects in the Haredi Schools. By this lack of education they will have to remain Yeshiva Bochas for ever and leech of the land! Sara B. You should read the comments of Hebrew Ynet to get the true opinion of Israelis who vote and don't live in the USA and tell us how to live our lives!

what are you mumbling about?

Education is a post that we should be wary of who we give to. Yuli Tamir wanted to change the system so Jews would no longer learn about Jabotinsky but would be taught about nakba. Give Lapids people the job he will go out of his way to make sure that the next generation turn their backs on religion. Likud is at least not a single issue party like the Lapid party and its not proposing to give the job to anybody from the far left or far right. Time to put Lapid in his place learn he is not the PM.

Lapid is not qualified to be head dog catcher and he is making more demands?

if he is not able to compromise. Israel is not a dictatorship .