Last minute: Eisenkot launches the big party's campaign | First publication

Yashar, led by Gadi Eisenkot, is changing strategy two weeks and a day before the elections and announcing a new campaign aimed at becoming the largest party, also at the expense of other parties in the change bloc. Senior official Shaul Meridor explained that the move is meant to ensure Eisenkot receives the mandate to form the government before Benjamin Netanyahu, and that data shows it could attract Likud voters.

Yashar, led by Gadi Eisenkot, is changing strategy two weeks and a day before the 2026 elections. The decision reached is that they must be the largest party, and by a wide margin, as reported last night on the 'Main Edition'. The implication is a new campaign aimed at growing also at the expense of the other parties in the change bloc. Senior official Shaul Meridor explained at a conference that the step is meant to ensure Eisenkot receives the mandate to form the government before incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to him, if Netanyahu receives the mandate first, the Knesset speaker will not be replaced and the Knesset will remain under the control of the current government. Meridor claimed that data held by the party shows a scenario in which Yashar is the largest party could attract Likud voters. He quoted Likudniks he knows who, he said, would switch if they saw a large gap from Likud. About two weeks ago the heads of the change bloc met but did not reach agreement on the figure who would lead the bloc. One of the obstacles was differences in strategy: Avigdor Lieberman favored a bloc strategy, while Eisenkot believed the largest party should form the government. In Yashar they asked not to comment on the matter.