David Wurmser
Center for Security Policy, Jan. 22, 2024
“The current leader of that party, Benjamin “Benny” Gantz, probably wants to stay in the unity coalition, but the U.S. and its most comfortable allies on Israel’s left side of the political spectrum see Gadi Eisenkot, who is Gantz’ deputy in the Blue-White Party, as the structure through which to work — and seek to cause a collapse of the unity government.”
It all begins early Sunday morning with a brilliant analysis by political commentator Yoseph Bardugo with Shai Goldin and Tal Meir on their daily morning news show Channel 14 at 7:00am. Bardugo analyzed the significance of recent moves by Israeli minister Gadi Eisenkot, especially the content of his interview to Ilana Dayana and his interview last Friday on another news channel. He suggested two basic points:
Eisenkot is about to bolt from the national unity coalition in the government, and that Eisenkot is doing so to lead a new left-bloc political grouping, perhaps even take over the moribund Israeli Labor Party. What follows here is my analysis, building further on Bardugo’s observations, in what appears to be the broader context of of Eisenkot’s move.
- The U.S. wants the Arab-Israeli war to end now and without further escalation on any front by any party. Politically the administration is in free fall on this Middle East issue and cannot reconcile its progressive base in key states and districts with its liberal-centrist and liberal-Jewish support, in other key states and districts, as well as nationally. The same pressures also affect Democratic party Congressional fortunes in an election year where marginal shifts can make great differences. It thus wants the war to end, and to end the threat of escalation.
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