Netanyahu's Rivals Misjudged Election Results, Paving Way for Unity Government
Translated & summarized from Makor Rishon by baba
Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party outperformed expectations in the recent election, while Gadi Eisenkot's "change bloc" failed to secure enough seats for a majority. The fragmented results suggest a potential unity or broad government is necessary to avoid further elections and address national challenges. Naftali Bennett is identified as a potential kingmaker who could help Netanyahu form a coalition and reduce reliance on extremist parties.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party significantly outperformed expectations in the recent election.
- Gadi Eisenkot prematurely declared victory, misjudging his bloc's insufficient seat count.
- The election results did not yield a clear majority for any bloc, suggesting a unity government.
- Naftali Bennett is presented as a potential partner to help Netanyahu form a stable coalition.
- The author argues that those who partnered with Mansour Abbas can now work with Netanyahu.
Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the "change bloc," mistakenly declared victory on election night based on early projections, only to learn later that his bloc had not secured enough seats. His premature speech, which included urging security officials to defy certain government directives, was seen as overly confident and out of touch with the actual results. Eisenkot's bloc, along with others, failed to reach the 60-seat threshold needed to form a government.
Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, despite facing numerous challenges and predictions of defeat, significantly outperformed expectations, securing a larger share of the vote than his rivals. While the right-wing bloc did not achieve a commanding majority as in previous elections, the author suggests this outcome is beneficial, preventing potential harm to Israel and the right-wing movement from a coalition dominated by extremist elements and potentially leading to international sanctions.
The lack of a clear majority for either bloc opens the door for a broader government or a unity government, an outcome the public desires. Eisenkot himself acknowledged the need to respect the people's will and avoid further elections. The article posits that experienced negotiators in Netanyahu's, Eisenkot's, and Herzog's circles could devise formulas for such a government.
Naftali Bennett, who previously broke commitments to form a government in 2021 to prevent repeat elections, is presented as a potential key figure. The author suggests that if Bennett joins a coalition, possibly with another partner, Netanyahu could reduce his reliance on the ultra-Orthodox parties and the provocations of Itamar Ben-Gvir. The article concludes by noting that those who previously partnered with Mansour Abbas could now align with Netanyahu for the sake of the nation, emphasizing the need for unity given ongoing threats, including from Iran.
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