Blue and White to go right in next election campaign

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Those at the party's HQ in Tel Aviv’s Ramat Hahayal neighborhood - which for the first time houses all the political factions that comprise Blue and White - The Israel Resilience Party, Yesh Atid and Telem - came to a conclusion that a policy change is necessary after analyzing the results of the April elections.

In the April 9 vote, Likud won 36 seats, almost on a par with Blue and White that won 35, which is headed by former army chief Benny Gantz. But wth the hardline nationalist and religious parties in his pocket, Netanyahu captured a majority of 65 seats.

Blue and White leader Benny Gantz (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

After apparently consulting with a well-known political strategist, Israel Bachar, the Blue and White quartet - Benny Gantz, Yair Lapid, Moshe Yaalon and Gabi Ashkenazi - is examining the possibility of focusing more on issues deemed important to many Likud voters. For instance, the party apparently is considering issuing a policy statement on Israeli settlement blocs in the West Bank. 

Ehud Barak’s decision to rejoin politics appears to have accelerated the process of shifting more to the right, with Blue and White leader on Wednesday saying “a split in the bloc will only hurt our chance of replacing the current government.”

Ehud Barak (Photo: Reuters)

Blue and White understands very well that Barak's sudden entry to the election campaign will inevitably lead to some of their voters defecting to the 77-year-old’s newly established party. Thus, they are looking for a new electorate to tap into.

In the aftermath of the elections two months ago, the party faced harsh criticism from the left-wing parties. Blue and White was accused of not being able to form a government despite stealing votes from the leftist bloc and significantly shrinking it as a result.

This time around, Blue and White will try to get more room to maneuver when it’s time to form a coalition.