Israeli Opposition Seeks Unity Amidst Internal Strife and Coalition Battles

With six days remaining until the 26th Knesset elections, the Israeli political system is intensifying its activities. Recent efforts have focused on de-escalating tensions between opposition parties, encouraging small lists to withdraw from the race, and managing internal disputes within right-wing factions. A News 14 poll indicates a majority of 62 seats for the right-wing bloc, with shifts in party strength and prime ministerial approval ratings.

A significant development was the reported meeting between Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the National Unity Party, and Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu. The two discussed election preparations and agreed on the importance of increasing voter turnout, urging support for parties likely to pass the electoral threshold to prevent wasted votes. They also pledged to cooperate post-election to replace the current government. This meeting followed public clashes between the two leaders, with Lieberman having accused Eisenkot of potentially negotiating a joint government with Netanyahu, an accusation Eisenkot denied, reiterating his goal to replace the government.

Despite the reported unity, disagreements persist within the opposition regarding leadership for forming a future government. Eisenkot and Naftali Bennett, chairman of the Together Party, have both stated they would not serve in a rotation government with Netanyahu, aiming to establish their positions for potential government formation. Lieberman, meanwhile, emphasizes inter-party cooperation and avoiding internal conflicts that could weaken the bloc.

Efforts to consolidate the right-wing vote continued, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly asking Motty Leitner, chairman of the Haredi Public Party, to withdraw from the race, a request Leitner has not yet accepted. The article notes that votes for parties failing to pass the electoral threshold do not count towards seat allocation, making the performance of smaller lists crucial.

Another reported attempt to influence the electoral landscape involved Bezalel Smotrich, Minister of Finance and chairman of the Religious Zionism Party. He allegedly offered Ofer Vinter, chairman of the Am Israel Party, the position of Minister of Defense if he withdrew from the race, an offer Vinter's party rejected, criticizing the tactic. Vinter's party is polling below the electoral threshold.

Internal friction was also evident among parties that were part of the previous coalition. The Likud party accused Itamar Ben-Gvir, chairman of Otzma Yehudit, of spreading anti-Netanyahu messages, while Otzma Yehudit claimed the Likud was preparing for a government with Gadi Eisenkot.

The News 14 poll projects 62 seats for the right-wing bloc, 44 for the center-left, and 14 for Arab parties. The Likud leads with 30 seats, followed by National Unity with 20. Together gains a seat to 10, matching Shas. Democrats receive nine seats, Otzma Yehudit and the Joint List eight each, United Torah Judaism and Religious Zionism-Identity seven each, Ra'am six, and Yisrael Beiteinu drops to five.