Independent voters now hold greater influence over the Israeli elections, strategic adviser and political commentator Barak Seri argued in an interview with 103FM on Monday, ahead of the Likud party primaries.
“Independent voters have more power. In the past, the deals were stronger, they controlled 60%, and today it has reversed," Seri claimed.
"Today, independent voters account for 60% to 70%, and deals account for 30%. That is why Haim Katz, the king of Likud deals, asked for a reserved spot. If the deals were so strong, he could have been elected through the deals. This will be Netanyahu’s big test.”
Seri also claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had worked in recent days to weaken the standing of Nir Barkat, David Bitan, and Tally Gotliv.
“If he succeeds in pushing them down the list, then we will learn that his power among independent voters is also significant," he said. "If not, they will come and say, ‘We received high spots despite Netanyahu working against us.’”
Yinon Magal, Tally Gotliv clash over Gotliv's removal from list
Seri also addressed the dispute that erupted Sunday between Yinon Magal and Gotliv, arguing that it was a byproduct of Netanyahu’s briefings against her.
“You cannot deny his work against them in such a blatant way," Seri said. "The moment he briefs Yinon Magal, and his people brief Amit Segal, and these things appear the way they did, then it is clear that he wants to see them lower down the list. He claims that he was shown polls saying that if Tally Gotliv and May Golan are placed high on the list, Likud will lose two to three seats.”
Seri also detailed the briefings Netanyahu held Sunday, saying that Magal had claimed to receive one from the people closest to the prime minister.
“The whole story happened because of an interview I conducted yesterday on Radio 103FM with Itamar Ben-Gvir, in which he told us that four ministers and four MKs had approached him. That caused panic in Netanyahu’s office. So they claim that Tally Gotliv and May Golan need to be removed from the lists. Yinon Magal and people close to Netanyahu take them off the lists.
“Tally Gotliv blows up at Yinon Magal 15 minutes later, makes personal accusations against him, says it is a lie and makes her promise, and May Golan, of course, follows her, and Yinon Magal responds to her, to Tally, and tells her, ‘I got this from the people closest to Netanyahu.’ I do not think Netanyahu is telling the truth about the polls regarding Tally Gotliv. Netanyahu wants, in the next elections, a group that is even more obedient than in this term, even more yes men, even more people who depend on him 100%, and perhaps he is concerned because Tally Gotliv is not exactly the biggest yes woman in the world.”
Channel 14 inadvertently questions neighbor of former military advocate general
Seri also addressed the controversy involving Channel 14 and the former IDF military advocate-general, Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi.
On Sunday night, Channel 14’s evening news broadcast aired a report in which a reporter attempted to approach Tomer-Yerushalmi on the street and ask her questions. The clip went viral after it became clear that the woman was actually someone else, a neighbor who was effectively harassed by the Channel 14 reporter on the street.
“That is the work of a researcher, but it is very easy to dump it all on the researcher,” Seri said. “The footage and this blunder, the way they presented it too, how they presented it, with such excitement, a first interview, and the way he runs after her, asks her questions, confronts her with questions and she does not answer. It passes through editors, through the assignment desk, until it finds itself at the opening of Channel 14’s evening news.”
Seri added, “We have not seen such an embarrassment in a long time, not even on Channel 14.”
Seri also addressed the response issued by Channel 14 after the broadcast.
“I want to draw attention to the response, which is even more ridiculous than the report. Her name is Yifat, she lives near the former military advocate-general, something involving her husband. Whoever wrote the response is more ridiculous than whoever published the report,” he said.
Seri stressed that he did not understand why Channel 14 had not simply apologized.
“What could be simpler than saying there was a mistake, we are sorry for it, the matter is being examined so that such incidents do not happen again in the future. That is the obvious response to such a massive blunder. The response is more ridiculous and pathetic than the blunder itself.”