As I have said before, considering Naftali Bennett has aspirations to be prime minister, leaving Habayit Hayehudi is the right move. He has no chance of becoming prime minister while in the Habayit Hayehudi party. It is too sectorial a party and cannot move into that position. They got upset at him when he brought Eli Ohana in to the party before the previous election. There is no way they can move themselves into being a national party rather than a sectorial one. Besides for that, Habayit Hayehudi just does not have the gravitas to get grow large enough to be in such a position - they always lose out to the Likud, as many of their supporters can go either way - and they don't make the effort to do so either. So, Bennett had no chance of fulfilling his aspirations as long as he stayed in Habayit Hayehudi.
Can he do it from this new party- HaYemin Hechadash - the New Right? I don't know. I don't know what it is or what they will be and what kind of support they will get, though my assumption is that he will not be able to and this will just be another small right wing splinter party.
What should he have done? Perhaps he should have rejoined the Likud and tried to take a leadership position there. What he really should have done is place Ayelet Shaked as #1 in the new party. She is far more popular than he. That does not really help him, but he already may never get there with his reputation, and with some other popular politicians moving into position , so helping his better-liked protege get there might be the best he can hope for.
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The name of the party already tells us that he fully intends to remain partisan, and not even pretend to appeal to all Israelis. I understand that no one will appeal to everyone, but for a politician to not even pretend to try seems like throwing in the towel before the race has even begun.
ReplyDeletebeing labeled "centrist" is too bland. as if you are trying to appeal to everybody when that is really impossible. He is saying straightforward that he is right wing and I see nothing wrong with that. everybody knows it anyway, and if he tried to sell himself as anything else he would look like a fraud
ReplyDeleteAgree 100%. Bennett is person non grata in Likud. Shaked has a better chance at aiming for the Prime Ministers chair instead of than Bennett.
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