i24 News website reported the rise of internal disputes after Member of Knesset Gideon Sa'ar announced quitting the Likud party, headed by PM Benjamin Netanyahu who is accused of corruption. Sa’ar is Netanyahu’s biggest rival in heading the Israeli entity, and is the only one to have defied Netanyahu inside the Party. The website considered Sa’ar’s exit of the Likud Netanyahu’s biggest threat since a long time. On Tuesday, Gideon announced leaving the Likud, forming a new party called ‘the New Hope’ and taking part in the coming elections against Netanyahu. Sa’ar said that he could no longer support Netanyahu and that he was going to win the elections.

Sa’ar explained how Netanyahu-led government had become ‘a cult of personality’ at a time when the entity needs stability and unity – neither of which can Netanyahu offer. The Likud party criticized Gideon accusing him of running after the Israeli leftists, and described his move as a reaction to being beaten in the preliminary elections and retreating to the second 10 ranks. There are talks about other members quitting Netanyahu’s party such as Yifat Shasha-Biton and Sharren Haskel. i24 mentioned that Knesset members Zvi Hauser and Yoaz Hendel are among the candidates to join the party. Former Chief of General Staff Gadi Eizenkot is likely to join as well, especially that he has been looking for a rightist political party away from Netanyahu. Quitting the Likud, Sa’ar could prevent Netanyahu from receiving 61 votes for the French act and immunity.