Netanyahu in ‘panic’ over possibility of Eisenkot becoming prime minister, former aide says

“Urgent phone calls every five seconds with the same message from Yair and Sara,” he stated, describing individuals surrounding Netanyahu, whom he referred to as consisting of “Qatar’s representatives in the office or people like Amir Ohana.”

“If you were a fly on the wall, you would see the panic with your own eyes,” Hefetz stated. “This is not unusual for him when his personal standing is at risk. It is a regular feature of how he operates when it comes to himself.”

Going over the possibility of Netanyahu losing power, Hefetz argued that the shift to opposition would be especially hard for the prime minister and his household.

“Life at home would not be easy for him, to put it mildly. And don’t forget, he is someone who loves the respect he receives from world leaders,” Hefetz stated.

“Will he sit on the opposition benches? Will he suddenly see Eisenkot with the motorcade, being taken everywhere by helicopter and flying on Wing of Zion?” he asked, describing Israel’s main state airplane.

“That triumvirate of Netanyahu, Sara and Yair would simply explode. For them, it would be worse than people being abducted to Gaza,” Hefetz declared.

Netanyahu might use concessions to Eisenkot to protect unity federal government

Dealing with Netanyahu’s require a nationwide unity federal government, Hefetz recommended that the prime minister might end up being significantly happy to jeopardize as Eisenkot advances towards forming a union.

“The closer Gadi Eisenkot gets to forming a government, the less Netanyahu will be willing to settle for,” Hefetz stated, recommending that Netanyahu might use additional concessions to avoid Eisenkot from taking workplace.

Hefetz argued that Netanyahu’s more comprehensive goal might be to avoid the taking apart of his longstanding political alliance with the ultra-Orthodox celebrations.

“When you take the Arab parties out of the equation, neither bloc can ever have a majority unless the ultra-Orthodox parties choose a side,” he stated. “That is what has kept him securely in power since 2015, which is why his first move was to take the Arab parties out of the game.”

Hefetz recommended that opening union settlements with Eisenkot might itself serve Netanyahu’s interests by slowing the procedure of forming an alternative federal government.

“The moment Eisenkot enters negotiations with him over a unity government, it becomes less urgent. But first, he needs to stop the snowball,” Hefetz stated.

He included that settlements might consist of political rewards, such as legislation designed on the so-called French law that would supply legal securities for an alternate prime minister.

Eisenkot positions various political obstacle than Bennett, Hefetz states

Comparing Eisenkot with previous prime minister Naftali Bennett, Hefetz argued that Netanyahu sees the previous IDF chief of personnel as a more powerful political challenger.

“Even during the first months when Naftali was prime minister, Netanyahu was in a terrible mood,” Hefetz stated. “But there is an enormous difference between Gadi Eisenkot and Naftali Bennett.”

“Netanyahu knows this very well. Eisenkot is not afraid of him, and he knows he cannot mess with Eisenkot,” Hefetz continued.

“He won’t stammer ‘Yonit, Yonit,’ and Idit Silman won’t suddenly walk out on him,” he stated, describing Bennett’s political troubles and the defection of Silman from his union in 2022.

Hefetz likewise pointed out remarks by previous minister Elazar Stern, who remembered Eisenkot stating that his experiences throughout the war had actually altered his point of view on political pressure.

“Gadi told me, ‘After everything I went through in the last war, nothing can touch me,'” Hefetz priced estimate Stern as stating. “And Bibi knows that.”

Hefetz argued that Eisenkot’s track record and individual reliability might likewise assist him protect assistance from possible union partners, especially ultra-Orthodox celebrations.

“That is also his main weapon in forming a government,” Hefetz stated. “If Eisenkot, with the reputation he has, tells the ultra-Orthodox parties, ‘You have my word that this is what will happen, and it will stay in this room,’ they can rely on that.”

Hefetz recommends Lieberman got guarantees from Eisenkot

Hefetz likewise dealt with the political conduct of Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman, recommending that his current positions might show personal understandings with Eisenkot.

“Do you think Lieberman is behaving the way he is without having received a promise from Eisenkot?” Hefetz asked.

“If he had not received a quiet assurance from him, he would be making his life extremely difficult,” he included.

Eisenkot got the required to form a federal government from President Isaac Herzog on Sunday, 2 days before Hefetz’s remarks, following the October 27 Knesset election. His efforts to construct a union have actually consisted of conversations over possible cooperation with ultra-Orthodox celebrations, while Lieberman’s position stays a main consider the settlements.

Losing premiership might impact Netanyahu’s corruption trial

Hefetz concluded by going over the possible ramifications of Netanyahu losing workplace for his continuous corruption trial.

He recommended that Netanyahu’s status as a sitting prime minister has actually affected the court’s handling of his schedule which a shift to opposition might lead judges to enforce more stringent presence requirements.

“Have you considered how much his life would change?” Hefetz asked.

“The panel of judges sitting in the District Court, which allows Amit Hadad to run the proceedings, will tell him: ‘You will attend every hearing.'”

“The judges will take control, and he will sit there day after day,” Hefetz stated.