Likud and New Party Led by Gilad Erdan and Yuli Edelstein Exchange Accusations Over Right-Wing Votes

Tensions continue between Likud and the new party formed by former Likud members Gilad Erdan and Yuli Edelstein. On Sunday, Likud accused Erdan and Edelstein of being "bitter fake right-wingers" aiming to steal votes and transfer them to a left-wing government led by Benny Gantz. In response, Erdan's party claimed that those truly stealing right-wing votes are those who perpetuate draft evasion and abandon soldiers' families, implicitly criticizing Likud's leadership.

The new party also highlighted that Erdan and Edelstein strongly opposed the 2005 disengagement from the Gush Katif settlement bloc, while accusing the current Likud leadership of supporting it, though they avoided directly naming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The dispute follows Erdan's claim on a Saturday news program that Netanyahu offered him a reserved spot on the Likud list, which he refused; Likud quickly denied this as "complete fake news."

Erdan, a former Likud minister and UN ambassador, officially launched his new party last week, targeting right-wing, Zionist, and state-loyal voters who prioritize IDF service. Alongside Edelstein, former chair of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, they intend to pressure Netanyahu to form a government without ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism, aiming to advance equal draft laws and other issues related to the Haredi community.

Currently, the new party polls below the electoral threshold but is beginning its campaign among voters Netanyahu seeks to attract. Likud appears to recognize the potential threat and has launched a direct offensive against Erdan and Edelstein to undermine their appeal.