JERUSALEM

An Israeli party leader called on the opposition on Thursday to bridge their differences to oust the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Israel is in a critical situation, and this is the time when we need to overcome our differences in the opposition and enter into joint action to hold elections as soon as possible and replace this government,” Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats, a left-wing alliance, told Israeli radio 103FM.

Golan said he received “positive responses" to draft a joint action against Netanyahu's government, without providing further details.

"Israel is in an unprecedented state of emergency," he said. “We must get back to our senses and return the Zionist project to its original level.”

Golan, a former army deputy chief, acknowledged differences among the opposition groups.

“But we must overcome these differences to replace the Netanyahu government that is destroying Israel nationally, economically, socially and at the security level.”

He said the current ruling coalition is made up “of people who adopt fascist and radical nationalist stances that believe in violence.”

On Wednesday, Golan called on the opposition parties to work to remove the Netanyahu government.

In response to his call, opposition leader Yair Lapid said on X, “We will continue to work with all parts of the opposition, before and behind the scenes, until the disaster government that is destroying the country is overthrown.”

The Knesset (Israel’s parliament) began its summer recess on July 22 and is scheduled to reconvene in mid-October, marking the start of the winter session.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack last Oct. 7, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

The onslaught has resulted in more than 40,600 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, and over 93,800 injuries, according to local health authorities.

An ongoing blockade of Gaza has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.

Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over one million Palestinians had sought refuge before the area was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar