JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appealed in a rare interview on Sunday to his right-wing base to cast ballots for his list, rather than hawkish alternatives, to prevent his being unseated by a potential center-left coalition.

His appeal reflects developments in recent weeks that have left Netanyahu more vulnerable ahead of Jan. 22 elections: the emergence of a charismatic new, pro-settler leader; blistering criticism of his leadership by a respected former security chief; and over the weekend, feelers by three center-left parties to unite ahead of the elections to form a bloc that would vie to form the next government.

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