Goldknopf and Bennett Could Determine Israel's Next Coalition
With less than 24 hours until voting begins, political assessments point to a three-seat Haredi faction and a former prime minister as potential deciding factors in forming a government.
By Ahmed Montgomery ·
Political assessments circulating in Israel suggest that two distinct political figures, Yitzhak Goldknopf and Naftali Bennett, may hold the deciding power for the country's next government as elections loom. With less than a day remaining before voting begins, analysts are reviewing scenarios where neither the current coalition nor the opposition secures a clear majority.
One prominent scenario involves Agudat Yisrael, the three-MK Haredi faction led by Goldknopf, offering support to a government led by the current opposition. This backing could be exchanged for specific budgetary agreements. However, even this arrangement would not guarantee a majority without additional support from Arab parties. Reports from Maariv in August indicated that Agudat Yisrael was already exploring cooperation with Gadi Eisenkot, a move driven by internal friction within United Torah Judaism over the Haredi draft and relations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Despite these discussions, Goldknopf faces a strategic risk. His voter base is largely aligned with the Right. Political observers warn that any visible alignment with the change bloc could push his supporters toward Likud or Otzma Yehudit. This dynamic complicates his position as a potential kingmaker.
Attention is also turning to former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. If neither bloc reaches the 61 seats required for a Knesset majority, Bennett could potentially join a Netanyahu-led government. This is viewed as a remote but viable option because Bennett’s background on the Right makes him a more plausible candidate for such a crossover than other change bloc leaders. His move would still require shifting his current support base, a process complicated by the makeup of his party.
Avigdor Liberman has also been mentioned as a potential crossover candidate, given his history of serving as defense minister in a Netanyahu government. However, current assessments suggest Liberman is unlikely to make such a move due to ongoing personal and political disagreements with the Prime Minister. For now, these remain theoretical scenarios rather than formal agreements, with the final shape of the government to be determined by post-election negotiations.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
