The Zionist Union's Tzipi Livni announced Monday evening that she would give up the rotation of the premiership with the slate's leader, Isaac Herzog, an agreement the two made months ago when her Hatnua party merged with his Labor Party.

In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the party was "panicking," while Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid and Jewish Home party leader Naftali Bennett said the move indicated the Zionist Union was planning to form a unity government with Netanyahu's Likud. That claim was subsequently rejected by Herzog as "claptrap."