Strategist Warns of US Pressure for Unity Government, Potential Impact on Right-Wing Parties

Baruch "Barale" Krumby, a strategist and chairman of the Tkuma movement, has warned of potential political scenarios following the upcoming elections. He expressed concern that the right-wing bloc could lose votes to parties that fail to pass the electoral threshold, and that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might face American pressure to form a unity government with Gadi Eisenkot, potentially excluding some of his current partners.

Krumby addressed claims of undue pressure on candidates from Ofir Winter's party, dismissing them by citing the resignation of Dudi Ben Zion, who he stated left the race solely to prevent vote wastage for the right. Krumby contrasted this with past instances of harassment against right-wing public officials, arguing that calls for Winter's party to withdraw are not illegitimate pressure.

He also discussed the controversy surrounding a video targeting bereaved mother Lali Darai, who is running on Winter's list. Krumby stated he contacted the activist who posted the video, Yigal Malka, who then removed it, asserting that the activist had no intention of harming the bereaved family. Krumby characterized the uproar as a cynical campaign to delegitimize calls for Winter's party to withdraw.

Krumby identified several parties, including Winter's, Noam, and Leitner's party in the Haredi sector, as potential vote-losers that could prevent the right from forming a government. He warned that such a scenario could lead to a left-wing government with Yair Golan in a senior role and Mansour Abbas as a key coalition supporter, posing a threat to settlements.

He criticized Gadi Eisenkot, describing him as a leftist whose public image belies his past policies, particularly regarding the transfer of funds to Gaza and border fence protests. Krumby also downplayed the chances of Winter's party passing the electoral threshold, calling it an "urban legend" based on past trends for new parties lacking a stable voter base.

Krumby voiced apprehension about a unity government that includes Eisenkot, arguing it would lead to national paralysis and hinder significant policy implementation. He specifically worried about potential pressure from the United States, including from figures like Jared Kushner and Witkoff, to form a government without figures like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, possibly even excluding Yair Golan. He suggested this pressure could be the price for Donald Trump's support of Netanyahu, calling it a severe concern for Israeli sovereignty.

Krumby expressed satisfaction with Netanyahu's clarification that a unity government would be based on the existing right-wing bloc, and that any invitation to Eisenkot would not necessitate excluding right-wing parties. He also addressed Ben-Gvir's concerns about Netanyahu potentially prioritizing Eisenkot if Otzma Yehudit underperforms, suggesting Ben-Gvir's current polling numbers are beneficial for his inclusion. Krumby praised Ben-Gvir's political growth and effectiveness as National Security Minister.

Finally, Krumby urged right-wing parties to focus on attracting new voters rather than internal competition, hoping to avoid cannibalization within the bloc and to bring in votes from the left and center.