Likud insiders clash over polling data as election approaches
Internal divisions within Netanyahu's party center on Shlomo Filber's forecasts and a surge in rival turnout operations.
By Nadia Singh ·
Likud is fractured one day before the national vote, with internal factions disagreeing on the party's probability of winning. The division centers on the internal polls managed by Shlomo Filber. While some leaders trust these optimistic numbers, others fear the data underestimates the scale of opposition turnout efforts.
The party's internal timeline reveals a campaign defined by anxiety over external funding. Sources inside Likud describe a massive, non-party-funded operation supporting rivals. This effort included social media pushes, field events, and transportation for Arab voters. Likud members refer to this as "the nonprofits affair on steroids," arguing that these organizations bypass standard party financing rules to build a support network for anti-Netanyahu slates.
The party also disputes the oversight provided by the Central Elections Committee. Likud sources claim the committee focused heavily on campaign video limits while ignoring the financial flows to these nonprofits. However, party officials did not provide documentation verifying the specific amounts of money involved or proving that the activity violated existing laws.
Looking ahead to voting day, Likud is mobilizing a large ground operation. The strategy aims to prevent right-wing voters from drifting to smaller parties. Negotiations to convince Brig.-Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter to drop out of the race failed. Winter, who leads the People of Israel party, remained in the race after talks involving Rabbi Eli Sadan. Sadan later issued a statement backing Winter's candidacy.
Likud is also courting supporters of the joint ticket led by Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelekha. In a separate development, Rabbi Abergel’s Ahi party has withdrawn from the race. This decision followed talks with Likud, during which the parties discussed legislation that would allow Ahi to name a deputy minister.
The election is scheduled for Tuesday, October 27. This date allows Netanyahu's government to complete its full term. A survey published days before the vote indicated that nearly one-third of Israeli voters remained undecided as they prepared to cast their ballots.
