Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett publicly called on former war cabinet minister Gadi Eisenkot to enter a room together until a merger agreement is reached, telling Army Radio he knows how to look Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the eye and defeat him. The remarks escalate the ongoing jockeying within the Israeli right-wing bloc.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Tuesday escalated his push for a right-wing political merger, issuing a direct challenge to former war cabinet minister Gadi Eisenkot. In comments published by Army Radio midday, Bennett said: "Come into a room until white smoke comes out and there is a union." He added that he is ready to go head-to-head with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, declaring, "I know how to look him in the eye and beat him."
The remarks come amid a fluid period in Israeli opposition politics. As The Zioneer reported last night, Bennett told journalist Dafna Liel that the Lapid-Bennett partnership must survive and expand because "a united bloc wins." Earlier on Tuesday morning, Bennett told Army Radio he knows how to confront Netanyahu directly. Eisenkot, a former IDF chief of staff, has issued his own challenges to Netanyahu in recent weeks, calling for a public debate. Bennett's overture to Eisenkot appears aimed at consolidating a broad center-right or right-wing alternative bloc ahead of any potential election cycle, though the former prime minister's recent poll numbers have softened.
3 developments
- DevelopingEisenkot Challenges Netanyahu to Public Debate
- DevelopingBennett-Eisenkot rift called 'destructive' to the Israeli opposition's prospects
- StrongBennett signals openness to serving under Eizenkot in a replacement government
- DevelopingBennett: Government incapable of advancing Israel — vows election victory
Source and signal
- Internal intake