Can Netanyahu learn from Theodore Roosevelt and step aside to save Likud? - opinion

An opinion piece asks whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can learn from Theodore Roosevelt's decision to step aside after winning the 1904 election, in order to keep his party in power. The author draws a parallel to the current situation as Gadi Eisenkot negotiates to form a government, and speculates whether Netanyahu would step down as Likud leader to allow a successor to form a Likud-led coalition.

An opinion piece by Motti Verses asks whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can learn from Theodore Roosevelt's decision to step aside after winning the 1904 election, in order to keep his party in power. The article notes that Roosevelt promised not to run again in 1908, supported William Howard Taft as his successor, and the White House remained in Republican hands. The author draws a parallel to the current political situation, as Gadi Eisenkot conducts negotiations to form a government. The piece speculates whether Netanyahu would be willing to step down as Likud leader, support a successor, and thereby try to keep the premiership in his party's hands. It frames this as a potential test of leadership and legacy, noting that at 77, waiting through another parliamentary term in opposition is a significant decision. The article acknowledges this is a scenario, not a report of a move taking shape, and that there is no guarantee other parties would agree to give a Likud successor the premiership.