Fights in the Left Bloc: The chairman of the left-wing Yashar party, Gadi Eisenkot, attacked Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman this morning (Thursday) - and set a clear line on one of the central issues of the election campaign: no to an exchange government and no to rotation.
In an interview with Reshet B, Eisenkot made it clear that, in his opinion, the rotation model, which has accompanied the political system in recent years, should disappear from public discourse.
Regarding the criticism he receives mainly from Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman, he said: "I think they are both wrong in the way they see the bloc. I worked around the clock to organize it, the bloc today is organized in a way it was not in the previous elections. I think they are wrong when they do not want to establish basic rules and principles for choosing the candidate for prime minister. They are harming the chance of winning, and it exists - the public wants change.".
Eisenkot added: "These statements, the old politics of 'let's become poilshtiks and decide who will be the prime minister' - this is something that cannot be accepted. Let them both stand up and explain how experienced they are and what they bring, and I will talk about the leadership and determination that I bring, and my way of uniting the country. And the public will decide, and I call on them to come to their senses.".
He quipped: "Anyone who is building on a prime ministership with eight seats does not understand what happened in the State of Israel" - implying that Bennett was elected to the position after receiving six seats.
He also clarified, also as a criticism of his bloc partners: "Rotation is not on the agenda. I am opposed in principle, and I have said this dozens of times in the past, to this whole idea of an alternate prime minister. I am opposed to rotation.".
According to Eisenkot, "A prime minister needs to be elected for four years so that he can implement plans and promote internal and regional moves. These are two different statements: Netanyahu, like all the members of the cabinet on October 7, are unworthy of leadership. And regarding rotation - I am firmly opposed to an alternating government and rotation, and to all the tricks and shenanigans that have accompanied us in recent years.".
In Israel, Beiteinu reacted sharply to Eisenkot's comments, implying that he was deliberately avoiding declaring who his future government partners would be - in order to allow himself to rely on the votes of the Arab parties: "Avigdor Lieberman has no ego and has experience, and experience teaches that pressure must not be transmitted at any stage.
""Yisrael Beiteinu is committed to establishing a Zionist government, without Netanyahu, the Arab and Haredi parties, that will pass a conscription law for everyone without quotas, without targets and without exemptions for anyone, and will establish a state investigation committee in accordance with the law as the first decision of the next government.".
""What is important is to strengthen the Servants' Bloc and establish a stable government. It would be very useful for Gadi Eisenkot to clearly clarify to the public who his partners are the day after the elections.".
Commentator Amit Segal responded: "Lieberman is implying very clearly in the last sentence: Eisenkot is planning to go with RAAM.".
