"Busy with his coronation": Sharp criticism in the "Change Bloc" against Eisenkot

Senior officials in the "Change Bloc" are criticizing the conduct of Gadi Eisenkot ahead of the elections. They claim that alongside his efforts to establish his status as a candidate for Prime Minister, he is not doing enough to prepare the entire camp for the election campaign and the day after. According to the officials, the criticism does not concern Eisenkot's actual run for leadership, but rather the lack of sufficient joint preparation on a series of issues that could be critical to the election results.

Among other things, they point to the lack of sufficient staff work between the parties and the need for joint preparation regarding election integrity. Another issue that worries them is the possibility of crossing lines after the elections. According to them, joint thinking is already required on how to prevent a situation where figures or parties identified with the bloc will cross to the other side and change the balance of power.

Further criticism concerns the status of the Democrats party. Sources claim not enough is being done to stop attempts at delegitimization against the Democrats as possible partners in a future coalition. Criticism is also directed at Eisenkot's struggle for the premiership; according to them, whoever seeks to lead the camp is required to take broader responsibility for the joint work of the parties. On the other hand, they express reservation about the ongoing preoccupation with why heads of other parties are not announcing their support for Eisenkot now, arguing that such pressure damages the ability to work together.

"All parties are currently in a legitimate political competition"

Chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, Avigdor Lieberman, presents a different position. In a conversation with "Maariv", he effectively rejects the claim that one of the camp's leaders needs to manage the others at this stage. According to Lieberman, all parties are currently in a legitimate political competition, and he wishes success to Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Lapid, and Naftali Bennett. In his view, the preoccupation with who will be first, second, or third and who will support whom for Prime Minister actually helps Benjamin Netanyahu.

Lieberman believes that the opposition parties should avoid internal struggles and focus on achieving a majority:

"I am responsible for ensuring there will be no quarrels within the opposition against each other, no conspiracies, no intrigues, no plots."

According to him, the question of the premiership should not be resolved before the elections. This decision, he says, can be made after the public has its say—and he himself holds a formula that he claims could lead to an agreement between the camp's leaders.

From the "Yashar!" party it was stated in response: "We are focused on the goal of defeating the Netanyahu government and expect all our future partners to focus only on this goal."