The scenario worrying Likud: the alliance Netanyahu is trying to prevent with all his might

Likud fears that an alliance between Ofer Winter and Yosef Haddad will strengthen the new party and cause a loss of votes on the right. Senior officials are pressuring Netanyahu to consider a reserved slot for Haddad, while talks between them progress. The talks are about a full merger, and Haddad demands three additional slots in the top ten. The concern also includes fears that parties below the electoral threshold will siphon votes from the bloc.

Likud fears that an alliance between Ofer Winter and Yosef Haddad will significantly strengthen the new party and cause a loss of votes on the right. Senior officials are pressuring Netanyahu to consider a reserved slot for Haddad, while talks between him and Winter progress. The talks between the two are about a full merger, not a technical bloc or a temporary arrangement ahead of the elections. Winter and Haddad seek to present a list of new faces and avoid, as much as possible, politicians who have already served in the political system. Haddad's demand for three additional slots in the top ten indicates that the negotiations with him also include significant influence over the composition of the slate. The concern in Likud is broader than Winter's race, and includes fears that parties that remain below the electoral threshold will siphon votes from the bloc, also around the moves of Yuli Edelstein. The decision on reserved slots takes on significance that goes beyond the composition of the Likud list, and Netanyahu can use them to neutralize the alliance between Winter and Haddad and assist Smotrich.