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Report: Sa’ar mulls challenge to Netanyahu for Likud leadership
Speculation continues over a number of possibilities in the build-up to the general election, including a report that former-Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar is considering challenging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the leadership of the Likud Party.
According to Channel Ten, Likud officials approached Sa’ar and asked him to consider submitting his candidacy for the Likud leadership primary scheduled for 6 January. Netanyahu currently faces no serious challenge at the upcoming vote. However, Sa’ar has often been touted as a future party leader and surprised the political world in October by announcing that he was leaving politics to spend more time with his family. He has previously served and both Interior and Education Minister, party chairman, Deputy Knesset Speaker and Cabinet Secretary.
Meanwhile, YNet reported that Likud officials have approached a significant number of Yesh Atid MKs in order to recruit them to join Netanyahu’s government and effectively stave off the prospect of an election on 17 March. The Prime Minister’s Office called the report “lame political spin” reflecting the “panic” of Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid. However, Yesh Atid called any attempt to poach its MKs “hysteria and shameful.”
The NRG website suggests that Kadima leader and former-Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz is in talks to join the Labour list of candidates. Although Kadima has negligible political power, Mofaz would add strong military and security credentials to the Labour list. Labour leader Isaac Herzog and Hatnuah leader Tzipi Livni will reportedly meet this weekend to discuss joining forces.
Both Israel Hayom and Maariv publish polls this morning, indicating that if elections were held today, Likud would be the largest party with 21 or 22 seats, followed by Jewish Home on 16-18 seats with Labour, Yesh Atid and former-Communications Minister Moshe Kahlon’s new party winning anywhere between 10-14 seats each. The Israel Hayom poll indicates that Netanyahu is still comfortably the public’s choice as Prime Minister. However, Maariv’s poll indicates that both Kahlon and Sa’ar are considered better candidates.