Netanyahu’s Downfall Scenario… How is the Israeli Scene Moving?”
In an effort to end the tenure of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli political landscape is vigorously moving in various directions to oust him, especially by opposition forces who believe Netanyahu has exhausted all his plans to maintain his position.
The opposition believes that the right-wing Prime Minister should resign now, especially after the Gaza war has reached its ninth month without achieving Netanyahu‘s initial goals of defeating Hamas and bringing back hostages, which has not been accomplished due to Netanyahu‘s stubbornness in ceasefire negotiations and hostage releases, thereby prolonging the war and ensuring his political survival.
Public Movements and Netanyahu‘s Dominance
In recent months, Netanyahu has successfully reduced the overwhelming support initially garnered by Benny Gantz, returning it to pre-war levels. Netanyahu maintains an iron grip on Likud and uses his personal charisma to retain his position, leading most observers in Israel to believe his era continues.
Simultaneously, the opposition is conducting both secret and public movements on three fronts to oust Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, converging towards the common goal of removing Netanyahu and his far-right partners, including Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, although these movements are not necessarily cohesive.
Among these, the most visible opposition movements include protests by families of Israeli hostages in Gaza explicitly demanding the government’s resignation and early elections.
Opposition Movements to Oust Netanyahu
Israel also witnesses opposition movements led by parties such as Benny Gantz’s “State Camp” and opposition leader and “There is a Future” party leader Yair Lapid openly calling for early elections, while secret movements are primarily led by the right-wing, led by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, and former Defense Minister and “Our Home Israel” party leader Avigdor Lieberman.
Netanyahu particularly fears the secret maneuvers of Bennett, Cohen, and Lieberman, which could lead to Likud’s loss, his party that holds many seats, while prompting families of Israeli hostages in Gaza to undertake extensive actions calling for a deal to release hostages involving the release of Palestinian prisoners, cessation of hostilities, and early elections.
Israeli politicians, including Gantz and Lapid, exploit these events to call for the government’s resignation and early elections. Recently, Lapid and “Our Home Israel” party leader Avigdor Lieberman, along with “Official Right” leader Gideon Sa’ar, announced an agreement to topple Netanyahu‘s government.
Palestinian political researcher Dr. Hani al-Masri indicates that Netanyahu has so far benefited from the Gaza war and is now seeking to escalate the situation with Hezbollah to stay in power despite Israeli domestic opposition to his continued rule. Gantz’s resignation was a severe blow, but he quickly managed to control the situation.
Al-Masri adds that opinion polls indicate Lapid’s chances are slim compared to “State Camp” leader Benny Gantz, threatening to keep Netanyahu in power, especially with fragmentation of opposition votes and lack of consensus on a specific name, as it is well known that the Israeli street prefers Bennett and Gantz over Netanyahu to lead the government.
Adel al-Zaroun, a political analyst, confirms opposition media movements through opinion polls that confirm rejection of Netanyahu, the man who controls Likud internally in Israel, where Israeli estimates indicate that 44% of Israelis believe Gantz is more suitable to lead the government compared to 38% who considered Netanyahu more suitable.
Al-Zaroun adds that there are contacts between former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Lieberman, and former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen to form a party, and if this alliance materializes, the party would become the largest in Israel, occupying 27 seats compared to 19 for Likud and 17 for the “State Camp” party among the 120 seats in the Knesset, these results representing a terror for Netanyahu, especially as such an alliance could attract right-wing and centrist parties and exclude the “Jewish Power” party led by Itamar Ben Gvir and “Religious Zionism” led by Bezalel Smotrich.
