“Netanyahu is like a wounded bull in the ring. We have to watch out for his horns because he is very dangerous now. In his downward spiral, he could bring everyone down with him. He could lead us to new elections. He is unpredictable.” This was the analysis of one senior Likud official on March 5. The official spoke with Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity about an hour after it was first learned that Netanyahu’s former adviser Nir Hefetz was recruited as a state witness in the criminal case against the prime minister. This analysis reflects the mood of uncertainty pervading the ruling party.
Headlines on all of the news sites said Hefetz claimed Netanyahu's son Yair and his wife, Sara, pressured Netanyahu into making decisions harmful to state security. At the same time, Likud Knesset members and ministers were trying to figure out where all of this was leading. Most importantly, they wanted to know whether the emergence of a third state witness against Netanyahu made it even more likely that elections would be moved up to June.
