With one month to go before Israel's October 27 Knesset elections, a new opinion poll shows the opposition bloc in a dead heat with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, as five opposition leaders formally agreed to coordinate their campaign strategy.

The five politicians met at opposition leader Yair Lapid's home in Tel Aviv on Saturday to align their approach ahead of the vote.

The meeting was attended by Lapid, leader of Yesh Atid; former prime minister Naftali Bennett, leader of Bennett 2026; Avigdor Lieberman, head of Yisrael Beiteinu; Gadi Eisenkot, head of Yashar; and Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats.

Lapid published a group photograph and a document outlining the principles of their coordination, both before and after the election.

Under the agreement, each party leader pledged to work within their respective constituencies to boost voter turnout and attract support from various sectors of society, with the aim of securing a majority and forming a new government.

The document also states that three joint working groups are to be established within 48 hours. The first will focus on boosting voter turnout and what the opposition leaders described as "safeguarding the integrity of the election." The second will draft the basic guidelines of a future opposition-led government, including establishing an official commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023 attacks and drafting a new constitution. The third will coordinate media activity and counter what the document described as "fake news and smear campaigns."

Bennett, a former prime minister, welcomed the agreement in a statement posted on X. "I am filled with hope again tonight. I am confident that we can win 63 seats and work together to fix Israel," he wrote.

"We have agreed to fully cooperate until the election, on election day, and after the election, with the aim of forming a government that will fix Israel," he added.

Netanyahu responded critically to the coordination agreement. He claimed that Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot would seek to form a government with Yair Lapid, Yair Golan, Bennett 2026, Yisrael Beiteinu and Arab parties. "Only a strong Likud will stop them," Netanyahu posted on X, referring to his right-wing party.

Netanyahu also posted an AI-altered photograph of the politicians' meeting in which he added United Arab List leader Mansour Abbas and Hadash-Ta'al leader Ahmad Tibi.