Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there were signs of preparations for an external attack against his country as the planned general elections on October 27 approach. Netanyahu made the remarks at a time when his support was declining in opinion polls.
Speaking at Tel Nof Air Base, Netanyahu also published his remarks on his X account. Without naming any country or group, the Israeli prime minister claimed that there was a threat coming from outside.
Netanyahu said that more than 100 Palestinians had been killed in the Gaza Strip in recent weeks. Saying that the attacks were not limited to Gaza, Netanyahu stated that they were also conducting operations in Lebanon and had carried out attacks on the Ali al-Tahir ridge.
The Israeli prime minister claimed that they had achieved significant successes during the attacks. Netanyahu said the intense pressure on them was intended to force Israel to withdraw and give up its gains, adding that he would not allow this.
Opposition calls Netanyahu’s remarks a political maneuver
The Israeli opposition described Netanyahu’s remarks about an external attack threat as a political move aimed at influencing the election process.
Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yasar Party, called for opposition leader and Future Exists Party Chairman Yair Lapid to be informed immediately if genuine security threats were confirmed. Eisenkot, regarded as the most likely candidate to replace Netanyahu, said this step would show whether there was a real and concrete threat or a statement intended to disrupt the election process.
Democrats Party Chairman Yair Golan also said that if security threats genuinely existed, Netanyahu should disclose them to the opposition leader and be accountable to the public. Golan argued that Netanyahu feared losing the election and said Israel’s security must not be allowed to be used to sabotage the vote.
Future Exists Party Chairman Lapid said Netanyahu had previously failed to take intelligence warnings seriously but had suddenly begun attaching importance to them as the election approached.
Likud projected to win 18 seats
An opinion poll published by the Maariv newspaper on September 25 showed that Netanyahu’s Likud party had lost seats in parliament ahead of the October 27 elections.
The poll projected 18 seats for Likud, compared with 20 in the poll dated September 8 and 19 in the poll dated September 11. The same survey projected that Netanyahu’s bloc had fallen to 49 seats, while the opposition had risen to 55.
Opposition forms three joint working groups for election
Opposition parties in Israel formed three joint working groups with the aim of removing Netanyahu from power in the October 27 elections and establishing a “Zionist government.”
The parties’ joint statement said the groups had been formed to strengthen cooperation for an election victory, coordinate preparations for the vote and lay the foundations for a government that would work in the country’s interests.
The statement said Israeli citizens would go to the polls to determine the country’s direction in the coming years. It argued that the elections would take place amid long-standing internal polarization, lies, failures and a loss of trust.
The working groups were formed after a meeting held on September 26. The groups are intended to strengthen cooperation between the opposition parties and coordination of election preparations.
Lapid and opposition leaders unite to change government
Future Exists Party Chairman Lapid decided to run in the election on the “Together” list with former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. Lapid announced that opposition leaders had met at his home on September 26.
Lapid shared a photograph taken after the meeting with Yasar Party leader Eisenkot, Bennett of the Together list, Our Home Israel Party leader Avigdor Lieberman and Democrats Party Chairman Golan.
Lapid also published the document signed by the party leaders to work together to change the government, saying that despite their ideological differences, changing the government was their common and most important goal.
