A Channel 14 report aired Monday on the program Seven, hosted by Yaakov Bardugo and Yehuda Schlesinger, said that senior figures in Gadi Eisenkot’s “Yashar! with Eisenkot” party are projecting a conservative, state-minded image while privately exploring political cooperation with Arab society.
According to the report, the contradiction surfaced at a recent home meeting with activists, where people such as Matan Kahana and Shaul Meridor were described as trying to present the party as authentic right wing in order to attract disillusioned right-wing voters. In closed discussions, however, the party is already examining mechanisms for integrating Arab society into its political activity.
One activist reportedly complained that the party barely addresses Arab citizens, saying, “There is almost no talk about Arab society. There is this fear of what others will say... one option is to decide what to do with the parties, and another is how to reach individuals.” Kahana then shut down the public exchange, saying, “So let’s leave it as something with an exclamation mark and sit on it, okay?”
The report focused especially on Meridor, who was quoted discussing how to build a future governing majority: “To prevent forming a government you need a majority... you can also do it two against one. I know a government of Shamir, if I remember correctly, was formed in 57. I am saying this not because I think it is right, we will do everything so this step brings at least 61 seats. It is important to normalize the participation of the Arab population.” The report said the party is pursuing deliberate strategic ambiguity and is rebranding Kahana and Meridor as a “sane right wing” to win soft right-wing votes, as the party rises in polls amid the collapse of Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid.
