Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has always sold himself as a peerless defender of his country. In the minds of many Israelis, he has become a kind of indispensable leader for the nation’s future.

Despite that image, Mr. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, might soon be ousted from office.

What has given his rivals the momentum to try to topple him? And who might be his replacement?

Guest: David M. Halbfinger, who covered Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories and the Middle East as the Jerusalem bureau chief of The New York Times. 

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The Daily is doing a live online event: We follow up with students and faculty from our series Odessa. And we hear from the team who made the documentary. Times subscribers can join us June 10.

Background reading: 

• Mr. Netanyahu, a dominant figure who has pushed his nation’s politics to the right, is on the verge of losing power.
• The main players in the latest twist in Israeli politics have very different agendas, but one common goal. Can they change Israel?

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

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