Loud, Viral, and Fresh

The same party leaders who vowed to boycott Netanyahu in the last election have doubled up on that platform for the upcoming November 1 vote. Due to the quirks in Israel’s parliamentary system, they were able to paste together a shatnez coalition for one year, but the seams unraveled quickly. Despite their failure, they are trying to sew the tattered rags back together, led by Yair Lapid, who now thinks he’s a war hero after a three-day fight with Islamic Jihad, and Benny Gantz, who has realigned his party for the sixth time since entering politics in 2018.

The polls show Israelis aren’t buying it. Three weeks remain until the deadline for parties to finalize their slates. The latest polls show the upside surprise of this election could be Israel’s most disruptive politician — Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Ben-Gvir’s split from Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionist faction is not final until it’s final. But Ben-Gvir is encouraged by polling that shows him winning seven seats if he runs alone, compared to just five for Smotrich.

Ben-Gvir’s political manifesto calls for the death penalty for terrorists, deporting their supporters, and legal immunity for soldiers and police for actions performed in the line of duty. Ben-Gvir’s party, Otzma Yehudit, which could be translated as Jewish Fortitude, also supports declaring sovereignty in Judea and Samaria and reinstituting courses in Tanach in public schools.