Updated

Former Netanyahu adviser Nir Hefetz said on Tuesday, in a 103FM radio interview, that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in a state of panic over the prospect of Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot replacing him as prime minister. Hefetz said panic is a major factor in Netanyahu's decision-making and described urgent calls from Netanyahu's wife, Sara, and son, Yair, as a constant feature during political uncertainty. He claimed Netanyahu would find a move into opposition extremely hard, and he suggested Netanyahu could offer Eisenkot concessions to secure a unity government and slow Eisenkot's path to power. The Jerusalem Post reported the claims, which Hefetz presented as his own assessments. Hefetz also said Eisenkot's wartime reputation and credibility could help him win over haredi parties, and he suggested that Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman had received a private assurance from Eisenkot. These remarks come as Eisenkot works to form a government after receiving the mandate from President Isaac Herzog on Sunday, following the October 27 Knesset election. The excerpt did not include a response from Netanyahu's office, and the Post's report did not establish whether the claims about private understandings or Netanyahu's state of mind are accurate.