Netanyahu faces choice between legacy and power after 2026 elections

Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc collapsed in the 2026 elections, but his Likud party remained the largest. Analysts say he must choose between undermining democracy to retain power or reinventing himself as a historic leader by forming a Zionist coalition and toppling Iran's government.

Ouzi Ben Nune analyzes in an opinion column Benjamin Netanyahu's internal dilemma after the recent elections. Netanyahu's bloc collapsed, but his party remained the largest in Israel. The author presents two conflicting forces within Netanyahu: 'Netanyahu the statesman' seeking a legacy, and 'Netanyahu the politician' accustomed to maximizing power and crushing rivals. According to him, for the first time the two forces stand in each other's way. The author argues that Netanyahu is willing to go as far as undermining the election results and dismantling the democratic mechanism. On the other hand, he suggests that Netanyahu could choose a path of political magnanimity, reinvent himself at age 77, form a Zionist coalition, topple the Iranian government, and establish a historical legacy. The author calls on the leaders of the change bloc to reach out to Netanyahu, and on Netanyahu to decide between destroying democracy and the legacy of a great leader.