To drink or to desist: Netanyahu and Eisenkot face decisions that will determine the fate of the elections

Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot are facing strategic decisions that will determine the fate of the election campaign. Netanyahu is considering whether to cut to the right against Itamar Ben Gvir and Vinter, risking his party's base. Eisenkot needs a game-changing move but may lose voters. The article points to the erosion of blocs and the collapse of Israel's standing in American public opinion.

In the coming week, Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot will make important decisions that will determine the direction of the campaign and perhaps the coming years. Netanyahu is sober: despite improvement in polls, he is currently losing the election. In Likud, there are fears that Itamar Ben Gvir is nipping at their heels deeply and could become the surprise of the election with a double-digit result at the expense of Likud and Shas. Netanyahu is considering whether to cut to the right to win back far-right votes, but may alienate centrist voters. Alternatively, he could launch a "largest party" campaign and siphon mandates from far-right parties, risking that one of them fails to pass the electoral threshold and Eisenkot receives a huge gift. For Eisenkot, the decision is no less complex: the campaign is stagnating, the bloc is eroding, and he needs dramatic campaign moves. The article offers a theoretical example for Eisenkot to invite Netanyahu into his government, risking losing voters but buying undecided voters from the right. Meanwhile, the article points to the collapse of Israel's standing in American public opinion: according to Pew, an additional 23% drop in popularity in recent months, and 55% of Americans want to stop or reduce military aid. Mark Dubowitz of FDD warns that sanctions policy against Iran could be turned against Israel if the current coalition returns to power.