Netanyahu faces internal rivalry and Iran policy debates ahead of elections

As elections approach, tensions are rising within Benjamin Netanyahu’s political camp due to intense competition among right-wing parties for Knesset seats and ministerial positions. Reports indicate that the Likud party is attempting to increase its representation and reduce the influence of Itamar Ben-Gvir’s ‘Otzma Yehudit’ party to prevent the loss of votes to smaller right-wing lists that may fail to meet the electoral threshold.

On the foreign policy front, Netanyahu has made the Iranian nuclear issue a central pillar of his campaign. Responding to political rivals who suggested Israelis must learn to coexist with a nuclear Iran, Netanyahu stated, “I will never live with a nuclear Iran.” He pledged that if re-elected, his primary focus would be to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear capabilities, a stance that remains a major point of contention in the upcoming electoral competition.