Judging by what people are saying in the Likud Party’s dozens of internal WhatsApp groups, one year into the first term of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, his status is sound. Despite the intifada by individuals, the ongoing deterioration of personal security and a housing crisis that defies resolution, Likud members believe that Netanyahu is the only person who can keep the party in power for another term.
Nevertheless, on March 24 the Israeli daily Haaretz presented a potential political scenario that could reshuffle the deck by shifting Likud voters to a new party. The Haaretz article hypothesized about a party headed by former Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, current Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and former Minister Gideon Saar of Likud. The poll assessed the strength of this virtual party and found that if elections were held today, it would win 23 seats, whereas Likud would win only 22. The new party would be able to block Netanyahu from forming a government.
