Israeli former Security Minister Naftali Bennett is planning to replace Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister after the Knesset elections on March 23, sources close to the Union of Right-Wing Parties revealed.
The sources indicated that Bennett wants to form a government that includes left and center blocs, but the plan depends on the right-wing parties winning the elections.
The right-wing camp includes Likud, religious parties Shas and United Torah Judaism, and the Zionist party al-Kahane, who seek to win more than 61 seats in alliance with Yamina.
If this is accomplished, Bennett will discuss chairing the cabinet with the opposing camp that includes other right-wing parties such as New Hope, Yisrael Beiteinu, Yesh Atid, Kahol Lavan, Labor party, and Meretz.
He will offer a joint premiership with all or some of them, noting that the alternative will be joining a government formed by Netanyahu, while they remain in opposition.
The latest polls showed that Netanyahu is unlikely to win the majority, even if Bennett joins him.
Last week, results showed that Kahol Lavan, Meretz, and the Islamic movement led by MP Mansour Abbas could lose, which will increase his possibilities of winning equal seats.
Netanyahu aims to increase his chances by appeasing Arab voters. He was seen pouring Arabic coffee in the Negev for a group of Tarabin Bedouin sheiks while asking for their votes.
The prime minister aims to do one of two things, either form a right-wing government under his leadership or head to fifth elections, ensuring he remains the head of the transitional government.
Meanwhile, Bennett believes this will be his chance to become prime minister for the first time, although he only won three seats during the last two elections.
He wants to rely on the center and left parties, stressing that their only chance to remove Netanyahu is by giving him the lead, even though the polls gave him 11-12 seats.
Bennet believes that this will ensure that a fifth election won't take place and will rid them of Netanyahu. He is suggesting the formation of an emergency government under his leadership that focuses on the coronavirus and economic crisis and refrains from engaging in heated issues, including the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
He explains that such a government would put an end to Netanyahu's policy and chaotic ruling and restores the state.
“I am confident that we will succeed together despite all difficulties,” he said, adding that Israel witnessed far more complex alliances in the past.
However, Bennett will not promise to reject an alliance with Netanyahu and believes his rivals Gideon Saer and Yair Lapid will not be able to form a government unless they unite with the Joint List, while he is proposing a Jewish Zionist government.
Recent polls showed that Lapid could win 20 seats and Saer 12 or 13, which further complicates the situation as the former refuses to ally with the Arabs and will not join Netanyahu, while the latter accepts an alliance with the Arabs, but cannot persuade Bennett to join.
Bennet’s sole opportunity to become prime minister is to persuade the religious parties to abandon their alliance with Netanyahu, especially when it becomes clear that he cannot form a government. But this seems impossible because supporters of religious parties prefer Netanyahu over any other political leader.
