Eisenkot's Yashar! Sparks Tension Within Change Bloc Ahead of Elections
With 15 days until the elections, Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar! party launched a campaign to become the largest faction, drawing disappointment and criticism from allies in the change bloc.
With 15 days remaining until the upcoming Knesset elections, the Yashar! party led by Gadi Eisenkot has launched a so-called drinking campaign aimed at positioning itself as the largest party and surpassing Likud. According to a message distributed to party activists, the race for the largest faction remains tight, and securing the top spot is viewed as essential for receiving the first mandate to form a government.
Backlash from the Change Bloc
This strategic shift has drawn sharp criticism from within the broader opposition, known as the change bloc, just two weeks after its leaders convened at the Tel Aviv residence of Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid. During that meeting, participants agreed to temporarily sideline discussions regarding who would run for prime minister and instead focus collectively on maximizing the bloc's overall parliamentary strength.
Sources within the bloc expressed disappointment over Yashar!'s renewed focus on competing against its political allies rather than uniting against the incumbent coalition. Critics within the bloc lamented the regression, noting that internal squabbling undermines the shared goal of replacing the current government.
"It is disappointing that after all the agreements and understandings to stop friendly fire and focus on the bloc's victory, Eisenkot is returning to the same campaign," said a senior bloc source.
The Prior Agreement
The high-stakes meeting two weeks ago included Naftali Bennett, Gadi Eisenkot, Avigdor Lieberman, Yair Golan, and Yair Lapid. At the time, the leaders signed a joint statement establishing that replacing the government is their paramount objective, superseding any ideological differences between them.
Despite that understanding, the latest internal messaging from the Yashar! campaign emphasizes Eisenkot's personal polling numbers, including a recent Channel 12 survey showing him leading Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by 10 percentage points in suitability for the premiership, standing at 45% compared to Netanyahu's 35%.