In the Likud, officials in recent days have talked about momentum and being within a hair's breadth of 61 Knesset mandates. With that, no public poll, or any assessments within the party have indicated that the right-wing bloc has the 61-seat majority for which it hopes.
Perhaps this is why people in the party are saying it would be an "amazing achievement" if the Right can garner 59 seats, mainly because it would prevent a particularly troubling scenario from unfolding, from their perspective: the establishment of a Blue and White minority government supported from outside the coalition by Avigdor Lieberman and the Joint Arab List. With that, Likud officials believe the three MKs from the Balad party won't support a Gantz government, thereby blocking the formation of a Blue and White minority government. In the case of a deadlock, meanwhile, senior Likud officials think Israel could be headed to a fourth election.
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On Sunday, Netanyahu convened party members and said: "If we fail to get this victory, we are aware of the alternative revealed by Amir Peretz. We have verified information that Benny Gantz and Amir Peretz indeed have such a deal in place, for Lieberman and [MK Ahmad] Tibi to lend support from the outside. There's no other way for Gantz to form a government, other than such support."
According to Netanyahu, "There are those who are busy trying to divert attention from this incredible revelation, which is backed up by other sources. We are trying to tell people to focus on the essentials, not to be distracted by tales and affairs."
The prime minister added: "We have four main missions: to apply sovereignty – I said this is what we will do; everyone called it a spin and a campaign ploy, but here we have it, it is a reality; we will forge a historic defense pact with the United States that will preserve Israel's freedom of action; we will work to remove the Iranian threat in ways I will not specify and sign additional peace deals with more Arab states; and we will continue on the trajectory of 5% [economic] growth."
The Likud has waged this election campaign with Netanyahu facing a corruption trial, slated to begin March 17. Despite this, Netanyahu easily defeated Gideon Sa'ar in the Likud primary. During the campaign, US President Donald Trump presented his administration's peace plan, which gave Netanyahu a boost.
Many questioned the timing of the peace plan's unveiling, at the height of the Israeli election race, but Gantz, who was invited to Washington to partake in the event, chose to return to Israel to vote in favor of establishing the Knesset committee that would discuss the prime minister's request for immunity.
