Likud Leaders Clash Over Tuesday Vote

Israeli voters head to the polls on Tuesday, October 27, to conclude the current government's full term. The vote follows a period of intense internal debate within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party regarding its path to victory.

A survey published days before the election indicates that nearly one-third of Israeli voters remain undecided. This uncertainty has fueled a split among Likud insiders, with some members expressing confidence in an outright win while others voice concern over the opposition's momentum.

The confident faction relies on optimistic forecasts from Shlomo Filber, who manages Likud's internal polling. A party source described the internal divide as a binary choice, stating, "Either Momo comes out a king, or Momo goes home. It’s one or the other." The source added that some members are very sure of themselves, while others are less so.

Likud officials are alarmed by the financial activity of various organizations and nonprofits. Party sources claim these groups are pouring large sums of money into efforts to turn out voters in the camp opposed to Netanyahu. These activities include social media campaigns, street signs, field events, transportation for Arab voters, and travel subsidies for Israelis abroad. One source labeled this influx of support "the nonprofits affair on steroids," arguing it gives rival parties an extensive network outside standard party-financing rules.

The party also criticized the Central Elections Committee for focusing on campaign video limits while overlooking these external funding streams. However, Likud sources did not provide specific documentation for the funding amounts or evidence that the activities broke the law.

On the ground, Likud is preparing a large-scale operation for Election Day. The strategy focuses on preventing right-wing votes from drifting to smaller parties. Negotiations to persuade Brig.-Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter, a former Givati Brigade commander and head of the People of Israel party, to drop out of the race failed. Rabbi Eli Sadan later issued a statement backing Winter. Likud is also courting supporters of the joint ticket of Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelekha. The Ahi party, led by Rabbi Abergel, has already dropped out of the race after discussions with Likud included the possibility of naming a deputy minister.