The Likud primaries this week were discouraging for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. None of the high-ranking Likud officials likely know what came over Netanyahu to make him paint former Minister Gideon Saar as the enemy of the nation. Saar, who resigned from the Knesset more than four years ago, is now making a comeback. Netanyahu is obsessed with demonizing Saar as someone conspiring to bring the prime minister down.
One way or another, Netanyahu has used his extensive influence, including the dirtiest of the tricks in his arsenal, to politically eliminate Saar or at least to restrain him. Saar, who was confronted with Netanyahu’s mythological power in the Likud, scored quite an achievement, arriving reaching fourth place on the list, a dramatic blow for Netanyahu. Even the Likud voters are signaling the prime minister that his powers are limited. They are willing to follow the prime minister through hell and high water, but not everywhere.
