Weekly Commentary: Why I Oppose Snap Elections For Likud Chair
Dr. Aaron Lerner 16 October 2023

Members of the Likud Central Committee will be voting on 23 October on a
proposal that elections be held on 25 November for the chairman of the Likud
Party and the Likud's candidate for prime minister in the next elections.

Normally such a move is made when we are about to have elections, but that
is not the case today.

At least so far.

I believe that snap elections serve no one's interests.

The situation is so dynamic and there are so many "balls in the air" that it
is impossible to predict what the next elections will focus on nor how
Binyamin Netanyahu will fit into the picture.

In a best-case scenario, we will have elections after the situation with
Hamas has been satisfactorily concluded and other issues have been resolved,
with no doubt a huge victory for Netanyahu in elections for party chair
followed by fantastic results in the national elections.

But sometimes the situation doesn't turn out to be the best-case.

It can be argued that postponing the elections for the Likud chair can have
a positive influence on the decision-making process as, if nothing else, a
justification to third parties for declining to make unacceptable
compromises.

As the People of the Book we appreciate that even the greatest of leaders
aren't perfect.

Moses wasn't allowed to enter the Promised Land and I'm not going to go into
the consequences of decisions made by our wise King Solomon....

Binyamin Netanyahu has most certainly earned an important place in this new
chapter of our story.

And in the last two years Netanyahu made the critical decisions - often in
the face of considerable opposition - which took us from one of the most
dangerous focus of enemy forces we have ever faced to our dramatically
improved situation today.

It is indeed my fervent hope that if the vote is postponed to shortly before
the national elections that conditions bring Mr. Netanyahu a landslide
victory should he choose to run.

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