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IrelandBennett is waiting for another election, Israeli strategist argues
Nimrod Eliran Sabah contrasts Bennett's silence with what he describes as Lieberman's fear of a repeat vote, predicting coalition talks will fail.
IsraelWhy this story? One of C14's most watched videos since yesterday, with 54,013 views.
C14: Israel's Channel 14, a news channel on the political right, on air since 2014 (as Channel 20 until 2021). 497K subscribers and 758M views.
היועץ הבכיר מטיל פצצה בשידור חי ומתחייב: "לא תקום ממשלה חד-משמעית!"
Next story: Bennett's draft pledges face the coalition test in archive report
51 more stories on Israeli post-election coalition talks ›
Things we can learn from the video
Press to jump
- 0:25Menashe explores coalition scenarios involving ultra-Orthodox factions and Arab parties.
- 1:10Sabah identifies conscription, Supreme Court rulings and ultra-Orthodox positions as obstacles to a coalition.
- 2:40Sabah predicts that no government will be formed and another election will follow.
- 3:40He portrays Lieberman as fearing another vote, then interprets Bennett's silence as preparation for one.
- 7:18Menashe asks whether Bennett and Lieberman are coordinating a political maneuver against Eisenkot.
Naftali Bennett's silence is preparation for another election, strategic adviser Nimrod Eliran Sabah argues, while Avigdor Lieberman has much more to fear from voters being sent back to the polls.
That contrast drives Sabah's interview with Oded Menashe on Israel's Channel 14 (ערוץ 14). His central prediction is unequivocal: incompatible interests will prevent a government from being formed. It is a political assessment, not an announcement that coalition negotiations have formally ended.
Menashe begins by exploring possible routes to a coalition, including divisions among ultra-Orthodox factions and the potential involvement of Arab parties. Sabah argues that disputes over military conscription, Supreme Court rulings and the ultra-Orthodox parties' positions cannot simply be put aside. The conscription debate concerns military service for ultra-Orthodox men, a longstanding dividing line in Israeli coalition politics.
Sabah then offers sharply different readings of two prominent opponents of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He portrays Lieberman, leader of Yisrael Beiteinu and a former finance minister, as worried that another election would leave him unable to persuade voters again. Sabah also questions the reliability of Lieberman's campaign promises.
Bennett, who served as prime minister from 2021 to 2022, is playing a longer game in Sabah's account. He interprets Bennett's quiet approach as an effort to preserve his promises and position himself to lead the bloc seeking to replace Netanyahu in a further election.
Menashe raises another possibility: that Bennett and Lieberman are maneuvering together against Gadi Eisenkot, the former military chief who leads the Yashar party. The discussion closes with Sabah's argument that agreement on replacing Netanyahu does not settle whom the parties will govern with, or what they will do about conscription.
Israel’s prime minister from 2021 to 2022. He has led the Bennett 2026 party since 2025; it is allied with Yesh Atid in the Together alliance.
More on Wikipedia ›An Israeli politician who was finance minister from 2021 to 2022 and previously served two terms as deputy prime minister.
More on Wikipedia ›A right-wing Israeli political party whose original support base was secular Russian-speaking immigrants. It has since broadened its appeal to other Jewish Israelis.
More on Wikipedia ›An Israeli general and politician who leads the Yashar party. He headed Israel’s military from 2015 to 2019 and served in the unity government from 2023 to 2024.
More on Wikipedia ›Published on Trari
More on Israeli post-election coalition talks
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What do you think?
- Channel
- C14
- Subscribers
- 497,000 ▲ 1,000 this week
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 8,122,304
- Channel views, pace per day
- 416,604 (on a normal day: 1,546,185)
- Video published
- November 12, 2026
- Video views so far
- 54,013 (less than a day online)
- Video views, pace per day
- 57,213
The numbers
The interview drew about 54,000 views since yesterday, the highest total among the new videos from Israel's leading news channels.
💡 Test your knowledge
Which party does Avigdor Lieberman lead?
Lieberman leads Yisrael Beiteinu, one of the parties discussed in the coalition interview.