There is an interesting deal in the works to try to help the right wing achieve 61 mandates in the coming elections.
Netanyahu and Ben Gvir are reportedly working on a deal by which Netanyahu would help Otzma Yehudit pass the threshold in the upcoming election, and in exchange, Ben Gvir would commit to not running in the fourth election, should it be necessary, if Otzma does not pass despite Netanyahu's efforts.
The deal recognizes that Netanyahu understands he won't get Ben Gvir to back down this time around, so it is more worthwhile to try to help him get in rather than fail. It is also unclear from the various reports whether this was proposed by Ben Gvir or by Netanyahu, but either way the reports have it likely happening.
According to the deal, Netanyahu will meet with the Dati Leumi rabbis and impress upon them the importance of voting Otzma to help them get in. As well, Netannyahu will try to do the same with UTJ, impressing upon them the importance and the suggestion that they instruct some of their smaller hassidic sects to vote Otzma instead of UTJ. In exchange, as mentioned, Ben Gvir will commit to not running in a possible fourth election if he does not get in now.
sources: Kikar, Ynet, Kipa
If the deal happens, I am not sure how they will determine if Netanyahu put forth efforts in good faith and genuinely tried to make a real effort. If Otzma does not pass the threshold despite a deal, Ben Gvir might easily be able to say that Netanyahu only made a half-assed effort.
Also, I do not see UTJ agreeing to this. They have been on the cusp of the 8th mandate, and instructing small groups of UTJ voters to vote for another party would gaurantee they don't get that 8th. Also, UTJ has never agreed to give anything up for external support. They have canvassed for external support but never agreed to giving away a Knesset seat or ministerial position in exchange for that support.
On the other hand, I do see Dati Leumi rabbinic leadership agreeing, possibly. They are in a shambles and nobody there seems to be able to work with anybody else. The various groups each get upset about minor things and blow up the entire thing without really seeing the bigger picture. Without unity in the first place, I can easily see some rabbis agreeing to such a deal rather than strengthen their own list.
Netanyahu is the big enigma. Once again, he gets others to do his dirty work to save the right. Netanyahu has not offered to instruct some Likud voters to vote Otzma. he is trying to get other parties to do so. Whether they agree or not remains to be seen, but that is besides the point. How he repeatedly does this is amazing.
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