Opposition and Some Likud MKs Planned Temporary PM to Replace Netanyahu After October 7 Attack

Following the October 7 massacre, opposition leaders and several Likud members, including Nir Barkat and Yuli Edelstein, initiated a plan to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The proposal aimed to appoint a temporary prime minister tasked with stabilizing the country, who would not run in the subsequent elections. According to multiple sources within Likud, the plan was developed just months after the attack, as opposition party heads began discussions with critical Likud MKs.

Barkat and Edelstein engaged in talks with additional Likud members, some skeptical but willing to participate, while others opposed the move and informed Netanyahu's team. The opposition initially sought to install a consensus prime minister for six months before calling elections, while Edelstein and Gideon Sa'ar advocated for a stabilization period of at least one year. There was resistance to Barkat's appointment due to personal opposition and concerns it would give him an unfair advantage in future leadership contests.

Edelstein emerged as the preferred candidate for the temporary prime minister role, agreeing not to seek future senior positions to avoid threatening other Likud leaders. However, the effort ultimately failed due to difficulties in securing enough Likud support and Netanyahu's intervention through discussions with undecided MKs. Some ultra-Orthodox party representatives participated in talks but stated they would only join a government if the plan materialized and refused to support a no-confidence vote to establish a temporary government.