Political Blocs Collapse as Israeli Parties Shun Traditional Leadership Commitments

Strategic advisor and commentator Moshe Klughaft sketches a dramatic picture of the complete disintegration of Israel's familiar political landscape in his column for Israel Hayom. He argues that the traditional political blocs have definitively fallen apart this week, not due to parties switching sides, but because factions are gradually withdrawing their full support from their bloc leaders. Klughaft highlights an unprecedented phenomenon where more parties currently lack a defined candidate for prime minister than those committed to their bloc's leader.

Analyzing the chaos on both sides, Klughaft notes that on the right, Moshe Gafni frequently declares he is not committed to the Netanyahu bloc, while Aryeh Deri states that if Netanyahu fails to form a government, the Council of Torah Sages will decide the next steps. On the opposition side, Avigdor Lieberman and Naftali Bennett consistently refuse to endorse Gadi Eizenkot, and Yair Golan announced he will negotiate with three different candidates before recommending one to the president.

Additional figures such as Hili Tropper, Gilad Erdan, and Benny Gantz maintain ambiguity, while newcomer Ofer Winter mentioned Netanyahu's name only after criticism, immediately attaching conditions. According to Klughaft, the only parties currently willing to fully commit to a candidate other than their own leader are Otzma Yehudit, led by Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Religious Zionism under Bezalel Smotrich, who himself faces electoral risks.

Klughaft summarizes the turbulent situation with a sharp metaphor: "Like a plane losing engine after engine, analyses cling to two candidates leading two blocs, but the candidates themselves have long understood the hint, opened the escape hatch, and are searching for a landing zone." This reflects the deep uncertainty and fragmentation gripping Israeli politics ahead of government formation.