Netanyahu fears splits in the bloc and tries to bring order to the chaos: "It's do or die"
Following the Likud primaries, the Prime Minister has shifted his focus to a critical political task: organizing his bloc. He warns that running too many separate lists could lead to wasted votes and cause a right-wing party to fall below the electoral threshold.
The offer to Moshe Kahlon, the refusal of Ofer Winter, and the brewing challenge within Likud: since the Likud primaries concluded, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has shifted gears regarding the election campaign, which had been relatively quiet until now.
Except for a few videos and social media content targeting the leading candidate of the second bloc, chairman of Yashar! and former Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, Likud has not yet solidified its core campaign strategy. Behind the scenes, however, Netanyahu is working to bring order to the chaos within his bloc, viewing this as his most difficult and important task.
Recently, sources close to Netanyahu have been in close contact with former Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, who even voted in this week's Likud primaries. They made it clear: a spot on the list is reserved for him. Ynet has learned that two weeks ago, Kahlon met with Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close ally of Netanyahu, who confirmed the Prime Minister's interest in securing a spot for him. Kahlon did not express much interest, but he did not reject the offer outright. Likud officials believe this move reflects Netanyahu's desire to strengthen his economic platform and address the cost of living.
Briefings against Winter and Netanyahu's fears
Additionally, Netanyahu has begun probing among Ofer Winter's associates. Brigadier General (res.) Winter, a respected figure in the Israeli right, was also offered various reserved spots, but unlike Kahlon, he rejected them, stating he would not run as a reserved candidate for Likud. It is expected that Winter will launch a new party this week, having held advanced talks with activist Yosef Haddad and bereaved mother Lali Deri.
Following his refusal, Likud and the Prime Minister himself have adopted a sharp line against Winter. Netanyahu has stated on several occasions that he does not trust him and has authorized briefings to weaken his standing, claiming that Winter would ultimately align with Avigdor Lieberman or Naftali Bennett.
In recent conversations with bloc figures, Netanyahu argued that his bloc must reach the election with only four lists, similar to the 2022 elections when Likud, Shas, United Torah Judaism, and the joint list of Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit ran together. He warns that a fifth party would lack a surplus vote agreement, potentially wasting half a mandate.
"It's a do or die issue," the Prime Minister clarifies.
He also estimated that if right-wing factions insist on running in six separate lists, one will certainly fall below the electoral threshold.
Netanyahu is currently holding several reserved spots, anticipating that a potential alliance between Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir might require him to reserve a spot for their candidate, similar to the arrangement made for Minister Ofir Sofer in the previous election. Furthermore, senior Likud officials say Netanyahu intends to reserve a spot for Minister Avi Dichter, who failed to pass the threshold in the last primaries. With the September 8 deadline for list submissions approaching, the challenges facing Netanyahu remain significant.
