Former Minister Chaim Ramon Predicts Netanyahu Will Lose Next Election and Retire

Former Israeli Minister Chaim Ramon forecasted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not remain in office after the upcoming elections, asserting that Netanyahu's bloc will fail to secure a parliamentary majority. Speaking in an interview on Radio 103FM, Ramon stated, "You can say Netanyahu will not be prime minister after the next elections," and confidently added, "Netanyahu is going to lose. Definitely."

Ramon predicted that the Arab parties, excluding Mansour Abbas's faction, will unite and win between 12 and 15 Knesset seats. He estimated that neither Netanyahu's supporters nor his opponents will reach the 61-seat majority threshold, leading to the formation of a minority government relying on Arab party support. "The Arabs will have between 12 and 15 seats after a list unification without Abbas. Both the anti-Bibi bloc and the Bibi bloc will not reach 61 seats, and the anti-Bibi bloc will form a minority government with Arab support from outside, maybe from inside," he explained.

He further suggested that the next government would be led by one of Netanyahu's opponents, expressing hope it would be Benny Gantz. Ramon also predicted Netanyahu would retire from politics if he fails to form the next government: "I believe Netanyahu will retire if he is not prime minister."

Ramon criticized the opposition for focusing on Netanyahu's personality rather than presenting an ideological alternative, emphasizing the need for a values-based change in leadership. He also recalled warning Blue and White party leaders in 2019 that Netanyahu viewed Hamas as an asset, urging them to advocate for Hamas's removal.

Regarding Netanyahu's ongoing trial, Ramon described it as a major factor shaping Israeli politics over the past decade. He identified the "just not Bibi" phenomenon as a significant curse in Israeli political life, which paradoxically helped Netanyahu maintain power for ten years across security, diplomatic, and legal arenas.