Eisenkot Aims to Grow Yashar Party, Undermine Netanyahu's Bloc
Translated & summarized from Vesty by baba
Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, is campaigning for his party to become the largest in the upcoming elections, believing it will enable him to form a government. He claims this strategy benefits Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc by attracting undecided voters. Netanyahu, however, warns of a "catastrophe" if Yashar surpasses Likud in seats, fearing it could lead to Eisenkot being tasked with government formation. Eisenkot's campaign also aims to weaken smaller right-wing parties within Netanyahu's bloc.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Gadi Eisenkot believes his "big party" campaign is key to winning elections and forming a government.
- Eisenkot claims his campaign attracts undecided voters and benefits Netanyahu's bloc.
- Prime Minister Netanyahu warns of a "catastrophe" if Eisenkot's party wins more seats than Likud.
- Eisenkot's strategy also aims to weaken smaller right-wing parties in Netanyahu's bloc.
- Polls show Eisenkot leading Netanyahu in head-to-head matchups.
- A controversial remark about Eisenkot is seen as hurting Netanyahu's bloc.
Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, believes his "big party" campaign is crucial for electoral victory and forming a government. He stated in closed forums on October 19 that this campaign benefits the entire bloc, rather than harming its partners, by attracting undecided and disillusioned voters away from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Eisenkot's associates assert that Yashar is uniquely positioned to draw support from those dissatisfied with the current coalition, appealing to a broad base due to Eisenkot's perceived reliability and popularity.
Eisenkot's strategy is seen by his allies as a way to consolidate the right-wing bloc by attracting voters who see Yashar as a larger, more stable alternative to Likud. They claim Eisenkot is the most popular politician in Netanyahu's bloc after Netanyahu himself. This perceived threat has prompted a response from Likud leadership, with Netanyahu warning that if Eisenkot's party wins more seats than Likud, it would be a "catastrophe" as the President might task Eisenkot with forming the government. Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz echoed these concerns.
Beyond expanding Yashar, Eisenkot's campaign also aims to weaken smaller right-wing parties, thereby diminishing Netanyahu's bloc. This strategy has reportedly pushed Netanyahu to launch his own "Big Likud" campaign, which also targets smaller parties. Eisenkot's camp suggests that a unified, strong opposition candidate against Netanyahu is in the best interest of bloc partners. Polls indicate Eisenkot leads Netanyahu in head-to-head matchups, reinforcing the idea that a "big party" would legitimize Yashar's role in government formation.
Eisenkot's campaign team also attributes a recent controversial remark by Inon Magal on Channel 14, which insulted Eisenkot, as ultimately damaging Netanyahu's bloc more than Yashar.
