Secular and centrist Israelis resent Netanyahu’s deep political dependence on ultra-Orthodox voters who contribute little to the nation’s economy and refuse military service. Others note that Netanyahu, now 76, has grappled with both prostate cancer and heart disease, and may judge him no longer fit to serve.
But Israel’s longest-serving PM still has a fighting chance, because the opposition may not successfully form a government of its own. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Knesset opposition leader Yair Lapid have lost support in recent weeks to a new party led by former Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, who has gained credibility in part because his son and nephew were killed fighting Hamas in Gaza.
If Bennett, Lapid, and Eisenkot joined forces, they could probably form the next government. But both Bennett and Eisenkot want the top job and believe they can win. A fractured opposition that prevails in elections but can’t agree who’s in charge may be Netanyahu’s best chance. He would then have a window to cut a deal—likely with Blue & White party leader Benny Gantz—to stay in power.
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