By GIL HOFFMANGideon Saar(photo credit: Courtesy)
In the consultations regarding who should form the next government, President Reuven Rivlin asked every party whether they had another candidate for prime minister besides the one they recommended.Not one party answered affirmatively. However, when he asked the representative of Likud, he was drowned out by a chorus of reporters in the room who said one name in unison: “Gideon Sa’ar.”Sa’ar was singled out not only because he is close to Rivlin but also because he has been the consensus candidate to replace Benjamin Netanyahu as head of Likud. Despite his recent break from politics, Sa’ar still scores higher in the polls than every other potential candidate.READ #10: PROFESSOR MARCELLE MACHLUF>>READ #12: AVICHAI MANDELBLIT>>See the full list of The World's Most Influential Jews>>This possible candidacy could become more practical than theoretical soon if the combination of corruption charges and an inability to form a coalition government ends up felling Netanyahu. This speculation has been raised by reporters but never by Sa’ar himself. He has become particularly adroit at keeping his mouth shut in sensitive situations, even when Netanyahu has tried to provoke him, a skill that could help him as his career advances.When speaking at a recent Hebrew conference organized by the parent company of The Jerusalem Post, Sa’ar’s praise for Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit was noticed by Netanyahu’s associates and interpreted as undermining the prime minister.The fact that Sa’ar’s benign statements are being scrutinized is a sign that even his rivals believe he has a bright future.
Another advantage for Sa’ar is his wife, respected veteran KAN talk show host Geula Even-Sa’ar. Her willingness to sacrifice her own successful career to help her husband was seen as old-school chivalry, and their very public second marriage and blended family serve as an inspiration to those in similar situations.After the marriage of the Netanyahus that has been portrayed as very unhealthy, having Gideon and Geula in the Prime Minister’s Residence could be a healing remedy.
