The end of the campaign was painful. Three days before the Israeli legislative elections of March 2, General Benny Gantz had to brutally dismiss, Friday, February 28, the main strategist of his party. Yisrael Bashar, however, orchestrated his entry into politics just a year ago, and helped make him the only rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This defector from the hard right questioned the strength of character of his boss in front of a rabbi, with whom he sought spiritual advice. The rabbi unwittingly wore a microphone. The recording was broadcast on Thursday evening by the twelfth Israeli channel.
Mr. Bachar believed that Benny Gantz was " a danger " for the country. " He has not(Urait) not the courage to attack Iran " the day when this choice would be imposed on him, judged this adviser. The blow is hard. Again, Benny Gantz finds himself returned to his caricature: the man would be weak and would not hold his troops.
For months, Mr. Netanyahu has repeatedly argued that this former chief of staff cannot guarantee the security of the country, despite his honorable service. The two men have already clashed twice at the polls, in April and September 2019, without a winner being imposed.
The stable “blocks”
The government is at a standstill, and polls show no change since the last election. The big "blocks" of parties are completely rigid. In the meantime, however, Mr. Gantz appeared to be taking insurance. He defended himself vigorously after the announcement of a police investigation on February 20 against a company he had founded after leaving the army. He professionalized his campaign, and knew how to hold around him a party, Bleu Blanc, which is only a gathering of opponents to Mr. Netanyahu, with no alternative program – if not alternation.
Mr. Gantz himself assumes to imitate the model of politician that Mr. Netanyahu has imposed in ten years of continuous rule, while denouncing his excesses. He waits for his rival to stumble to resume his role. In the third poll, on Monday, or in the fourth if necessary, he bet that the Netanyahu "machine" will eventually collapse by itself. He hopes that the opening of his trial for corruption, fraud and breach of trust on March 17 will speed up this process. Victory through usury.
Mr. Gantz could get out of this election in mind, but he misses the allies to obtain a frank majority of government. The latest polls give him 33 to 36 seats (out of a total of 120), and less than ten for his left-wing partners: fifteen more would be needed. He can still count on distant support in Parliament for the secular far-right party of Avigdor Lieberman (8 seats in September) and the united list of Israeli Arab parties (13). In September, he had failed in this exercise, as in forming a government of union with Mr. Netanyahu.
