Eisenkot's Election Plan Targets Right-Wing Voters, Aims to Lead Bloc

With less than two weeks until the Knesset elections, Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the "Yashar!" party, is entering the final stretch of the election campaign with a strategy designed to attract right-wing voters and bolster his party's standing. According to a report in "Israel Hayom," Eisenkot's campaign headquarters has developed a plan focusing on 40 key cities where they believe voting patterns can be altered, aiming to make "Yashar!" the largest party in the next Knesset. Cities like Nahariya, Afula, Ariel, Rishon Lezion, and Eilat, where the Netanyahu bloc previously secured significant percentages of votes, have been identified as crucial.

While acknowledging that outright majorities in these cities may be unattainable, Eisenkot's team believes a substantial shift in vote distribution there could impact the national outcome. The campaign is leveraging Eisenkot's background, including his Mizrahi-Moroccan heritage, his tenure as IDF Chief of Staff, his status as a bereaved father, and his connection to tradition, to appeal to right-wing identified voters. Eisenkot has begun visiting these 40 cities, with each assigned a party list member responsible for local election activities, and physical campaign offices have been established in some locations.

The party estimates that approximately three Knesset seats are still undecided among swing voters. In-depth research suggests Eisenkot is considered a second choice by many voters, including those leaning right. "Yashar!" is also targeting the Druze community and former Soviet Union immigrants, holding a conference in a Druze town and hoping a realistic spot for a Druze candidate on their list will attract more voters. They have also hired a campaign manager who previously worked with Avigdor Lieberman and Eisenkot has started giving interviews to Russian-language media outlets.

A significant post-election strategy involves positioning "Yashar!" as the largest party, even if the "change bloc" doesn't secure a 61-seat majority. The goal is to present a significant mandate advantage over the Likud to President Yitzhak Herzog, potentially enabling Eisenkot to be tasked with forming the government. This strategy also aims to influence vote distribution within the right-wing bloc, potentially drawing votes from smaller parties to Likud and hindering their chances of crossing the electoral threshold.

Parties like those led by Ofer Vinter, Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelicha, and Benny Gantz, could be affected by this strategy. Regarding the party's list composition, which includes eight candidates from the Religious Zionist sector within the top 20, "Yashar!" is not concerned about potential post-election resignations, believing that those unwilling to adhere to the next government's principles would resign voluntarily.