Two More Lawmakers Depart Yisrael Beiteinu Ahead of Elections

Members of Knesset Dovi Biton and Tatiana Mazaraki from the Yisrael Beiteinu party announced on Tuesday their withdrawal from the upcoming Knesset elections. This move adds to a growing wave of departures from the party as it prepares to finalize its list for the next election cycle.

Biton expressed satisfaction with her four years in the Knesset, highlighting her legislative work and advocacy. She thanked Yair Lapid, the party leader, for the opportunity and her colleagues for their shared efforts. Biton stated she would continue to believe in and work towards the party's values and remain active in public service.

Mazaraki's departure follows closely on the heels of former minister Meir Cohen and veteran MK Mickey Levy, who also announced they would not be running. Cohen is slated to become the chairman and president of the Yisrael Beiteinu conference, while Levy will serve as the head of the party's tribunal.

The significant number of departures has considerably altered the party's roster since the 2022 elections. Out of the 24 members who entered the Knesset following those elections, nine have now left the Knesset, the party, or declared they will not seek re-election. These include Orna Barbivai, Meir Cohen, Yoel Razvozov, Elazar Stern, Yoav Segalovitz, Boaz Toporovsky, Idan Roll, Ron Katz, and now Biton and Mazaraki.

Some of these exits occurred earlier in the term. Former Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov took a break from public life in January 2023, while Orna Barbivai left to run for mayor of Tel Aviv. Idan Roll departed in January 2025 to form a new faction and subsequently announced his exit from politics. The wave of departures intensified leading up to the 2026 elections, with Boaz Toporovsky and Ron Katz announcing their retirements from politics in June and July, respectively. Yoav Segalovitz announced his departure from the party and resignation from the Knesset this month, intending to join Mansour Abbas's Ra'am party. Elazar Stern also left shortly after, joining Gadi Eisenkot's "Yash!" party.

These departures come amidst significant changes within Yisrael Beiteinu, including a merger with former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's party to form the "B'Yachad" list. With the candidate lists being finalized, there is a surplus of candidates vying for a limited number of realistic positions, as the party is projected to win fewer mandates than the number of individuals seeking a spot on the list.