Gadi Eisenkot's Party Surveys Suggest Voting for Bennett Could Aid Netanyahu

The "Yashar!" party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, is conducting polls that suggest voting for Naftali Bennett's "Bayit Yehudi" party could inadvertently lead to another government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu. The surveys reportedly convey the message that a vote for Bennett cannot be relied upon to prevent Netanyahu's return to power.

These polls are part of an effort by Yashar! to persuade voters to shift their support to Eisenkot's party. The underlying argument presented in the polls is that a larger vote share for Bennett's party increases the likelihood of Netanyahu forming the next government. Conversely, the polls suggest that a stronger showing for Yashar! could improve the prospects of the "change bloc" and facilitate the removal of Netanyahu from the premiership.

Eisenkot himself has previously spoken out against internal disputes within the bloc, arguing they undermine the chances of unseating Netanyahu. However, the party's current polling strategy appears to engage in similar tactics, raising suspicions among other parties in the change bloc. The polls reportedly pose questions like, "If Bayit Yehudi, led by Naftali Bennett, gets 8 to 12 seats, it won't matter, but if Yashar!, led by Gadi Eisenkot, ties Likud or surpasses it by 4 seats, that's the difference between a change government or a Netanyahu government. So, does this make you more or less likely to vote for Bennett?"

Party officials from Yashar! have stated that the polls are designed to gather data and do not represent definitive conclusions. They further explain that a larger number of seats for their party would strengthen the change bloc, framing the effort not as a personal battle for Eisenkot but as a move to unseat Netanyahu and potentially other factions. Despite these efforts, a significant level of distrust towards Eisenkot persists within the change bloc, with no clear reconciliation achieved.