Still haunted by the trauma suffered by the parties opposing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the last election, when their leaders’ intransigence helped pave the way for his victory, Gadi Eisenkot and other opposition leaders are now reportedly watching the prime minister’s predicament with a faint smile.
With the deadline for finalizing electoral slates just a week away, Netanyahu’s bloc appears more divided than ever. The parties remain unwilling to join forces, leaving the situation increasingly untenable.
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MKs Avigdor Lieberman (L), Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz at the Knesset in June. Credit: Olivier Fitoussi
MKs Avigdor Lieberman (L), Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz at the Knesset in June. Credit: Olivier Fitoussi
Despite his reputation as a shrewd political strategist, Netanyahu has struggled over the years to organize his bloc efficiently and effectively, despite the considerable effort he has invested in doing so. In the last election, he managed only with great difficulty to bring together Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and he now appears to be realizing how difficult it’ll be to repeat that feat.
Looking beyond the last election, Netanyahu has traditionally faced fierce internal rivalries within his bloc, resulting in a significant number of wasted votes over the years.