Naftali Bennett, a continuing alternative to Netanyahu

This March he will turn 54 and has already served as Prime Minister of Israel once, albeit only for the brief period from June 2021 to June 2022. Before entering politics, he had time to become a successful businessman in the United States, where he amassed a considerable fortune. Born in Haifa to American immigrants, he is currently the leading candidate to succeed Benjamin Netanyahu in the upcoming elections. Polls published these days indicate that Naftali Bennett is the preferred opposition candidate among Israelis. While he doesn't reach Netanyahu's level of popularity, his standing surpasses that of Yair Lapid and Gadi Eisenkot. His conciliatory nature contrasts sharply with that of Netanyahu, 76, who has a distinctly divisive personality. One of the latest polls gives Bennett's opposition blog 56 seats and Netanyahu's bloc 52, in a Knesset where a majority is 61 seats. The key, therefore, would lie with the Arab parties, which could confirm Bennett's victory. It's a realistic hypothesis, though not guaranteed.

We don't know when the elections will be. The decision depends on Netanyahu's will. They must be before the current legislative session ends in October. Netanyahu will choose the most opportune moment for his interests. The war against Iran can also be seen as a maneuver to increase his popularity before the elections. Undoubtedly, it is. But it's also true that Netanyahu wants to completely change the face of the region and for the Israelis to forgive him for the tragedy of October 2023.

Working with the most frequent scenario predicted by the polls, an electoral victory does not guarantee a secure government for the current opposition. Within the opposition, there are parties that make it difficult to reach an understanding with Arab parties, as is the case with Avigdor Lieberman's party. These groups will have to determine whether their resentment towards Netanyahu is greater than their aversion to Arabs.

The chances of an opposition victory resolving the Palestinian question are very remote, practically nonexistent. Lieberman doesn't even want to hear about the issue, and Bennett himself is a politician from the nationalist and religious right who advocates for Greater Israel, that is, the annexation of the occupied territories. Bennett is against a Palestinian state even in Gaza, so on this central issue he aligns himself with Netanyahu and his blog.

Bennett entered politics working for Netanyahu. Interestingly, he is not the only opposition politician who has worked closely with Netanyahu. Liebermann is another one, and now he can't see it, and every time he opens his mouth it's to trade off the prime minister.

Netanyahu, a political animal.

This does not mean that Netanyahu has lost the election before it even takes place. His resources have allowed him to become the longest-serving prime minister in history. Netanyahu wants Israelis to be convinced on election day that he is the true leader of the country. All his efforts are directed toward this goal, and his party, Likud, continues to be the most popular party in the entire parliament.