Former MK Dan Illouz Confirms Attempt Within Likud to Oust Netanyahu After October 7 Attacks

Former Knesset member Dan Illouz confirmed in an interview that shortly after the October 7 massacre, there was an internal effort within the Likud party to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu through a constructive vote of no confidence rather than elections. This revelation follows an earlier report by Channel 14 during the "Sword of Iron" war, which exposed attempts to form a majority of 61 Knesset members to oust Netanyahu.

Illouz stated that at least one-third of the Likud faction believed a leadership change was necessary for Israel. However, the effort failed not due to lack of support but because of internal power struggles over who would succeed Netanyahu. He said, "If there had been agreement on a single candidate, Netanyahu probably would have been removed."

The initial report named Minister Nir Barkat as a key figure promoting the move and mentioned discussions about Yuli Edelstein as a potential consensus candidate. The failure to unite behind one candidate prevented the initiative from advancing.

In response, Likud MK Tali Gottlieb accused Illouz of tarnishing the party's image and claimed she had warned Netanyahu at the time about the plot. She named Edelstein and Yoav Galant as involved and said, "I warned the Prime Minister about you in real time!" Gottlieb added that those who undermined Netanyahu eventually lost their standing within Likud and cautioned Illouz to be careful with media exposure.

This internal Likud crisis highlights ongoing tensions within the party following the October 7 attacks and the "Sword of Iron" conflict. The political fallout and leadership challenges remain a significant issue for Netanyahu and his supporters moving forward.