Israeli Coalition Parties Face Internal Strife as Elections Approach

As elections draw nearer, tensions are rising within Israel's "change bloc" of opposition parties, according to MK Gilad Kariv. Kariv warned of internal conflicts and urged Gadi Eisenkot's party to focus on attracting right-wing voters. Speaking on 103FM, Kariv criticized Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu regarding his remarks about the Egyptian intelligence chief and called for a state inquiry into the events of October 7th.

Kariv acknowledged that while his party is stable, growth is natural and expected, especially when voters are considering options between his party and Eisenkot's. He cited past failures, like the previous election cycle's "big party" campaign by Yesh Atid, which he believes diverted energy from uniting the bloc and attracting voters from the other side. He stated that the formation of the Democrats party is a lesson learned from the "irresponsible" separate runs of the Labor and Meretz parties.

Kariv urged all parties in the bloc to act responsibly, noting that voters are aware that the mandate goes to the party endorsed by the most Knesset members. He expressed his expectation that Eisenkot's leading party should concentrate on persuading right-wing voters to join the change bloc, explaining that this is why Eisenkot's list includes many right-wing individuals whose stances may not align with the liberal democratic public.

Addressing Netanyahu's recent interview on Channel 14, Kariv highlighted discrepancies in Netanyahu's statements about meeting the Egyptian intelligence chief. Kariv pointed out that while Netanyahu claimed never to have met him, a past photo of a meeting was posted on Netanyahu's own Twitter feed. Kariv reiterated the demand for a state commission of inquiry into all events leading up to and including October 7th, accusing Netanyahu of refusing to establish such a commission for the past three years and suggesting he has something to hide.