Likud senior Gideon Saar has been working nonstop after dropping a political bombshell the night of Nov. 23 by calling for a quick Likud primary. Since then, he has been ramping up his challenge to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu one hour to the next, lashing out incessantly and reminding him that he has failed to form a government, twice. In a radio interview on Nov. 26, Saar said that if he were in Netanyahu’s position, he would resign. With that, the tempest Saar stirred up in the Likud quickly escalated into all-out war. The party hadn’t experienced a challenge to its leadership in years, and suddenly, all the pent-up passions and energy exploded.

All of this is set against the backdrop of a political and constitutional crisis of historic proportions in Israel, given Netanyahu’s insistence on hunkering down as prime minister despite Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit’s decision to indict him for bribery, coupled with a rush toward a third round of elections. Saar added another element to the political tailspin, coming out against Netanyahu in ways that haven’t been seen in the Likud in ages, all the while stressing that only he himself can save the party from crashing. In doing so, Saar shattered the public image of unity that had worked to Netanyahu’s advantage when he was suspected of and being investigated for criminal activity.

The timing of Saar’s attack — after Mandelblit had announced his decision to indict — was unexpected. Saar is now viewed as bold and has earned considerable praise for his actions from outside the Likud. On the other hand, many Likud Knesset members and activists disapprove of his attack on the prime minister, so they have either defended Netanyahu or remained silent. So far, only one new Knesset member, Michal Shir, has expressed support for Saar in the media. Knesset member Yoav Kisch expressed support for holding primaries, but did not go into details or say whom he would support. There is talk of mayors and even other Knesset members who will soon come out of their closets and in support of Saar. There has been no sign of them yet, with the exception of Ramat Gan Deputy Mayor Roi Barzilai, who made a public statement on Nov. 26 calling on Netanyahu to resign.

What has happened so far, however, should be of concern to Netanyahu. The internal unity that solidified his position within the Likud and bolstered his substantial popularity despite the criminal charges hanging over him is withering away before his eyes. Saar’s move threatens to suck the Likud into a vortex of internal squabbling, engulfing the party’s most senior members.