Gilad Erdan Avoids Naming Preferred PM Candidate Amid New Right-Wing Party Launch

Gilad Erdan, Israel's ambassador to the UN and former minister, announced last Thursday the formation of a new right-wing party alongside former Knesset member Yuli Edelstein. In his announcement, Erdan sharply criticized the Likud party, stating he "can no longer call it home." On Sunday morning, during an interview on Kan Reshet Bet, Erdan was asked whether he would support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot as the next prime minister. Erdan evaded the question for several minutes without giving a clear answer.

This avoidance drew criticism from media outlets accusing him of trying to appeal to both sides for political gain. Journalist Yair Tarchitsky commented that Erdan claims to want a broad government but dodges the question of his preferred leader. Since Netanyahu leads Likud and is legally barred from serving as a minister due to ongoing legal proceedings, any government including Likud would require Netanyahu as prime minister. Tarchitsky concluded that Erdan's project aims to preserve Netanyahu as prime minister while increasing Erdan's own political power.