His attempts to change Israel’s electoral system in order to enhance his prospects after four inconclusive elections illustrate the intensity of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s desperation.
After failing to obtain a 61-seat Knesset majority in the March 2020 elections, Netanyahu opted for a deal with his main rival, Blue and White party Chair Benny Gantz. Having received the goods, i.e., as soon as Gantz agreed to join his coalition, Netanyahu tried to pull the rug out from under him. He was convinced that having neutralized the threat from Blue and White, the centrist party led by three generals, the fourth elections in March 2021 would be a cakewalk. Netanyahu was wrong.