Disillusioned Netanyahu Voters Shift Further Right, Not Left
A childhood friend of the author, who opposed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, predicted after the October 7th attacks that Netanyahu would weather the storm. Polls now suggest this prediction is proving accurate, as Israeli politics appears to be consolidating back into two main blocs, left and right, with the centrist "unity bloc" dissolving. This fragmentation is attributed to the difficulty of achieving genuine unity among its disparate members, potentially leading to further elections if forced unity is attempted.
The primary shift observed since October 7th is a broader move across Israeli society to the right. Consequently, voters disillusioned with Netanyahu are not moving towards centrist figures like Benny Gantz or Naftali Bennett. Even figures like Gantz, who have incorporated Mizrahi and religious individuals into his list, are seen by the right as making only cosmetic changes. Instead, these voters are drifting further right towards figures such as Bezalel Smotrich, Avi Maoz, or Itamar Ben-Gvir.
These right-wing parties, collectively commanding an estimated 15-20 Knesset seats, recognize Netanyahu as the leader of their bloc but also feel the need to push him further rightward, believing he has a tendency to become complacent. The article suggests that those who opposed Netanyahu have instead found a stronger voice in figures like Ben-Gvir, amplified by commentators like Caroline Glick. Without a significant political upheaval or a more profound connection with voters' lives, disillusioned Netanyahu supporters are likely to remain on the right, acting as a force to keep him politically alert.
