Rising Concern in Gadi Eizenkot's Camp Over Liberman and Bennett's Reluctance to Support Him

Despite Gadi Eizenkot's consistent lead in polls within the opposition bloc, his campaign is increasingly worried about the positions of Avigdor Liberman and Naftali Bennett. Both politicians have refused to commit to supporting Eizenkot as the leader of the largest party, raising fears of potentially extreme demands during coalition negotiations if the opposition bloc wins the upcoming elections.

Eizenkot's team is concerned that Liberman and Bennett, who are expected to be key partners in any future government, might leverage their positions to demand disproportionate power. This comes despite the common political norm that the leader of the largest party usually heads the government. Eizenkot himself recently criticized the idea of a party with only 8-10 seats demanding the prime ministership, a comment clearly aimed at Liberman and Bennett.

The tension escalated after Liberman's close ally, MK Yuli Malinovsky, stated in a podcast that leadership should go to the most experienced politician rather than the leader of the largest party. She emphasized Liberman's long-term vision and experience, citing his warnings about Gaza and northern Israel's defense. Malinovsky also suggested that there is strong internal political talk predicting Liberman will become prime minister, signaling a possible power struggle.

Eizenkot's camp fears that even if Liberman and Bennett eventually align behind him, their current stance and rhetoric could be a prelude to unprecedented political blackmail. Liberman might use his leverage to demand a rotation in the prime minister role or a disproportionate share of senior ministerial positions, despite Eizenkot's apparent electoral advantage.

The situation highlights the fragile dynamics within the opposition bloc ahead of the elections and the challenges Eizenkot faces in consolidating leadership and forming a stable coalition government.