Netanyahu Develops Strategy to Counter Small Right-Wing Parties Threatening Vote Splitting

Ahead of the September 18 deadline for finalizing election lists, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is implementing a strategy to address the risk posed by eight small right-wing parties that may fail to pass the electoral threshold and thus waste votes. This concern follows the previous elections, where lost votes below the threshold harmed the left-wing bloc. Netanyahu released a video urging voters not to support these minor parties.

The parties at risk include Gilad Erdan's Unity, an unnamed party led by Ofer Winter, Moshe Feiglin's Zehut, Yaron Zelekha's economic party, Noam led by Avi Maoz (which is again splitting), Israel First led by Sharren Haskel alongside Jonathan Pollard, and two ultra-Orthodox parties challenging Shas and United Torah Judaism. These ultra-Orthodox parties are particularly troubling for the established religious parties due to potential vote splitting.

Netanyahu has held discussions over the weekend and plans to politically attack Ofer Winter, rejecting advice to embrace him, as he suspects Winter may align with the opposition or siphon votes from Bezalel Smotrich. Netanyahu intends to largely ignore Gilad Erdan despite prior attacks against him in the Likud campaign. Additionally, Netanyahu aims to dissuade Moshe Feiglin and Avi Maoz from running unless they receive compensation or guaranteed Knesset spots.

Separately, former Kachalon party leader and respected former MK Roy Folkman, who left Erdan's Unity party, is re-entering politics. He has met with several parties, notably former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, who currently lacks experienced parliamentary figures on his list. Eisenkot is reportedly inviting Folkman to join to strengthen his team. Eisenkot has announced 15 candidates so far but will likely need to reveal around 30 by the September deadline, unveiling them at a rate of about one per day.