Netanyahu's right-wing bloc strains as Likud slides, Eisenkot surges ahead of list deadline
Likud is sliding, Eisenkot is surging, and the right is splintering. The Deep Dive maps the frantic scramble before Israel's parties lock in their final Knesset lists next week.
As Israel's parties scramble to finalize their Knesset lists, cracks are emerging in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing bloc. Likud's poll numbers have plummeted from the low 30s to just 21 seats, while opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot leads most surveys as the largest party. Netanyahu has warned voters against supporting smaller right-wing parties, fearing a fragmented vote could hand the opposition the opportunity to form a government.
This pressure is particularly directed at the bloc's third parties, spearheaded by Ofer Winter's new list, which has gained significant momentum, featuring bereaved families from October 7 and activist Yoseph Haddad as its top contender. Internal tensions persist, as Itamar Ben-Gvir opposes a merger with Bezalel Smotrich. Meanwhile, on the center-left, Eisenkot is in discussions with Benny Gantz.
The most significant development, however, may be the least apparent: Ra'am is running without Mansour Abbas, who is expected to position a Jewish former police chief as its second-in-command, a first for the party, as a potential coalition partner. Additionally, Naftali Bennett has softened his stance on pardoning Netanyahu, conditional on him stepping away from politics, but he rules out serving in a government with him.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
