Since the establishment of the unity government, MK Osher Shekels of the Likud has been trying to bring Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman into the process. In recent weeks, he has held dozens of meetings with every relevant party on the subject. At first, he tended to think that the person vetoing this was Benny Gantz, who was not interested in the entry of someone other than the concept camp into the war cabinet.
At the last Likud faction meeting on Monday, Shekels sadly reported to his friends that he had reached the conclusion that the one who was not interested was Lieberman himself. It turns out that Shekels only discovered the tip of the iceberg. In recent weeks, much bigger moves have been made in the political system. Lieberman was the star of the event. But not only him. Also the former partner, who was thrown out and now returns - Aryeh Deri. The plan was to replace Netanyahu already in the current Knesset.
At a certain point, elements associated with Bezalel Smotrich, Yair Lapid and several Likud MKs were also brought into the event, which ended in nothing, but it is clear to everyone that this is only the first act. Also to Netanyahu, who was supposed to be the victim of the incident. And maybe there will be more to come.
Netanyahu (archive), photo: GPO
A week ago, Shari Roth posted on the Haredim 10 website that Deri and Lieberman had resumed talking when the war broke out and even cooperating against Netanyahu. According to the report, if the move had taken place, Lieberman would have been appointed prime minister in a constructive vote of no confidence supported by the opposition parties and Shas.
In the days following the publication, the attempts became more sophisticated, after it became clear that not all opposition parties see the political reality eye to eye. In fact, not all parties in the coalition either. Not Dean Benny Gantz who is duly innouncing Yair Lapid who is crashing. And it's not like the case of Ben-Gvir rising to Bezalel Smotrich, which is recording a decline. Thus, a dialogue has developed in recent days between elements in the Paratroopers Coalition. Those who in no way want elections soon, when the polls bode ill for them. In an instant, members of Religious Zionism found themselves on the same side of the barricade.
Gantz and Lapid. Each one and its goals, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Benny Gantz, on the other hand, was not counted, but Gideon Saar and his faction did. Between a no-confidence motion that does not bear his name as the incoming prime minister and general elections, Gantz prefers elections. In the polls, he is already the prime minister by a margin.
The move cannot be implemented without a few Likud rebels, a minimum of five. Here, too, the move encountered difficulties. Abandoning the Likud to form another government is the end of the political road. Nir Bareket for example. For years, he has been preparing for an election campaign against Netanyahu for the leadership of the Likud. He spends money, builds a huge bureau, conducts polls and holds conferences, all in order to be Netanyahu's successor, not the head of a backbench party with five seats. What's more, no one promised him to head the group. Why not Edelstein? Or Gallant? Or Eli Dellal?
Thus the idea died out, but not died. From the messiah of active attack, there was talk of offensive defense, as one of its partners called it. In other words, initiating Netanyahu's replacement is not possible, but preventing him from bringing forward the elections is also possible. Netanyahu's surest way to get ahead of the elections is by approving the Knesset Dissolution Law. So there are no surprises. It is possible to control the process, the date, and make sure that the Knesset is indeed dispersed, without hijacking and other scenarios. If at some point after a war Netanyahu sees that he is falling anyway and the choice will be between impeachment and elections, he will prefer elections. The others - impeachment. In other words, appointing a replacement in the current Knesset and continuing in office, without Netanyahu.
Minister of Finance Smotrich (archive), photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Netanyahu is sharp. He noticed what was happening around him. It is not for nothing that he began to flatter Deri and invite him to every possible forum, as did Likud members, to convene the faction, to let everyone speak. Likud MKs said after this week's session that they don't remember Netanyahu as anemic and boring as they did in the faction meeting, where most of the time he kept silent and let others have their say. Even a public statement at its opening did not give, and gave the whole stage to the rest. Not to mention the rapprochement with Smotrich, including support for Orit Strzok, who was criticized for daring to ask General Toledano something at a cabinet meeting. Netanyahu even reprimanded Toledano for commenting on Strzok about the nature of her question. If the trend continues, Netanyahu will prefer to cleanse Gaza of its population and rebuild Gush Katif, if this brings Smotrich and his friends back to his side.
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