Israel's plan to apply sovereignty to large parts of Judea and Samaria and the Jordan Valley should be the watershed moment in Likud-Blue and White relations. It should also send the former chiefs of staff a very clear message: either get your act together and realize that you are part of a right-wing government, or get ready for the pressure to reopen the coalition agreement and maybe even face another election.
One thing is clear: Right-wing supporters will not tolerate having the extended sovereignty dream foiled by the leaders of Blue and White.
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At this moment, no one really knows where Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi stand with respect to the sovereignty plan. The impression they give off is that their default reaction to any idea or initiative coming from the Right is a resounding "no."
As far as the Likud is concerned, this is unbearable. Gantz and Ashkenazi, who were elected by the "anyone but Bibi" cult, have slowly emerged as individuals who want solely to undercut the Right's policies.
Are we again witnessing a reality in which generals, who are devoid of ideology and opinions but are influenced by outside elements, are dictating the national agenda and diplomatic results? Could Israel's historic opportunity to extend sovereignty be decided by the Saban Forum?
Can it be that Israeli-American billionaire Haim Saban – the man who supported the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and who flies dozens of senior Israeli officials to the eponymous annual forum to influence Israeli politics – is against trying to affect the result in the name of Barack Hussein Obama's vision?
Gantz and Ashkenazi need to learn that to become actual statesmen they first have to present a real worldview, rooted in ideology rather than in a political shopping spree meant to get them elected.
There is only one thing the Likud can do to react to this attempt to undermine its ability to govern: it has to say, "Enough." If it doesn't, even the coronavirus won't be able to dwarf election fever.
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