Gantz Claims Lieberman and Bennett Plot to Block Eisenkot's PM Bid
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Benny Gantz claims Avigdor Lieberman and Naftali Bennett are planning a coalition to prevent Gadi Eisenkot from becoming Prime Minister. Gantz suggests this bloc, potentially including Yair Lapid and Arab parties, aims to position Lieberman as premier. Gantz himself advocates for a "Zionist, cross-bloc government" led by Eisenkot and including Likud to replace Benjamin Netanyahu. He argues that post-October 7th, any government must be broadly Zionist and cannot rely on Arab or extremist parties.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Benny Gantz alleges Lieberman and Bennett are plotting to make Lieberman Prime Minister over Gadi Eisenkot.
- Gantz suggests a coalition of Lieberman, Bennett, and Lapid could seek support from Arab parties.
- Gantz proposes an alternative government led by Gadi Eisenkot that includes the Likud party.
- Gantz believes the desire to replace Benjamin Netanyahu is motivating these political maneuvers.
- Gantz insists that post-October 7th, a government must be broadly Zionist and not rely on Arab parties.
Benny Gantz, a political leader, has alleged that Avigdor Lieberman and Naftali Bennett are orchestrating a plan to prevent Gadi Eisenkot from becoming Prime Minister. Gantz described a potential "combination" involving Lieberman, Bennett, and Yair Lapid, suggesting they aim to form a bloc whose size would rival Eisenkot's party, thereby enabling Lieberman to become premier.
Gantz explained that without such a coalition, Lieberman's ambition for the premiership is mathematically improbable given his party's relatively small number of mandates. He speculated that this bloc might also seek support from Arab parties, questioning why Lieberman wouldn't benefit if such alliances were already being considered. Gantz believes the desire to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be a driving force behind this alleged scheme.
However, Gantz presented his own alternative: a government led by Eisenkot that would include the Likud party. He advocated for a "Zionist, cross-bloc government" to replace Netanyahu's administration, stating, "I prefer a government headed by Gadi Eisenkot with the Likud." He expressed concern that the current political "bloc" is heading towards a scenario involving Ahmed Tibi, contrasting it with his preferred "Gadi-Bibi" (Eisenkot-Netanyahu) alignment.
When asked about the possibility of Eisenkot forming a government with support from Arab parties, Gantz acknowledged that Eisenkot might not desire such an arrangement but suggested he might have no other option. Gantz also recalled past instances where Lieberman, Bennett, Lapid, and others were willing to cooperate with Arab parties. He emphasized that following the October 7th events and in light of current security challenges, a government should not rely on Arab, Haredi, or extremist parties, but rather on a broad, Zionist coalition, asserting that the political numbers necessitate such a broad base.
Mentioned
