Netanyahu Set to Welcome Sa’ar Into War Cabinet Amid State Party Split

By Aryeh Stern

Minister Without Portfolio Gideon Sa’ar made an announcement on Tuesday, revealing that his party New Hope would no longer be part of the alliance with Benny Gantz’s Blue and White, effectively dissolving the Knesset entity known as State Party, which was part of the center-left bloc in the 2022 election.

Sa’ar, who joined the emergency government under Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu along with senior members of the State Party shortly after the outbreak of the war, stated his intention to seek proper representation for his separate faction by being appointed to the War Cabinet.

Sources within the Likud party informed Yisrael Hayom that it seemed unlikely Sa’ar’s announcement was coordinated with Netanyahu, and the issue of Sa’ar’s appointment had yet to be reviewed. However, Likud sources believe Netanyahu’s response will be positive, as Sa’ar now provides a right-wing assurance for the government during the war.

Sa’ar plans to reestablish New Hope as an independent party representing what he calls “the national-responsible worldview.” In response to Sa’ar’s move, Gantz expressed gratitude and wished him luck.

“I respect my friends, the representatives of the State Party in the War Cabinet,” said Sa’ar, referring to Blue and White leaders Benny Gantz and Gadi Eizenkot, “but unfortunately, they do not echo the voice, positions, and emphases that I would bring. Therefore, on your behalf, I express our demand to join the War Cabinet and be part of the policy influence,” he added during a party event with activists concluding the election campaign for local authorities.

Sa’ar’s decision to break ties with Gantz has been brewing for several months and is rooted in ideological differences, as he conveyed to his partners before making the announcement.

The question now arises whether Sa’ar anticipates an imminent election. Sources from New Hope stated that Sa’ar’s decision wasn’t coordinated with Likud, and he does not intend to rejoin his former party, where he was once a fierce rival to Netanyahu, but rather to establish an alternative right-wing party.

A source within the War Cabinet said to Yisrael Hayom that adding another member to the forum would pose challenges from a coalition perspective, as similar requests exist from other parties. “How will Sa’ar enter when Bezalel Smotrich remains outside?” one source rhetorically questioned.

Sa’ar hopes that his decisive break from Gantz and Eizenkot’s coalition will garner support among right-wing voters. Following the outbreak of the war, Sa’ar has attempted to align himself more closely with the right, distancing himself from the anti-Netanyahu camp of the past year, during which he actively participated in protests for judicial reform.

Regarding a potential return to Likud, Sa’ar reiterated his commitment to New Hope, describing it as a national-statist right-wing party reflecting the values of Likud during the era of Yitzchak Shamir and Menachem Begin.

The split is expected to be formally approved during the Knesset Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday, following the budget vote.