Yesterday, Monday evening, the Israeli channel Kan reported that Health Minister Yuli Edelstein informed leaders of the Likud party of his intention to compete with the outgoing Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for the leadership of the party.
She added that Edelstein met prominent actors in the party, and asked for their support to succeed Netanyahu, and said in closed talks that Netanyahu, 71, who has headed the party for 16 years, should be replaced.
The channel quoted sources in the party – unnamed – as saying that Netanyahu plans to hold early elections for the leadership of the party as soon as possible to renew confidence in him.
Likud leaders feel that their party’s rule is in danger, with the announcement of a government coalition in which Yair Lapid, leader of the There is a Future (centre) party and Naftali Bennett, leader of the Yamina party (right), will be presented to the Knesset on June 14.
Commenting on what the channel attributed to the Minister of Health, Edelstein’s office said, “The common task of all of us is to thwart the government that depends on the votes of the Islamic movement” (he means the Arab List).
He added that the Minister of Health usually informs the public of his vote on everything related to important decisions, and not through anonymous sources.
In 2019, Gideon Sa’ar (chairman of the New Hope Party) competed with Netanyahu for the Likud presidency, but lost to him.
On May 5, Netanyahu informed President Reuven Rivlin of his failure to form a government, with a deadline of 28 days, for Lapid to be assigned the task. On Wednesday, he informed Rivlin of his ability to form a government.