Israeli Politicians Recount Humiliating Last-Minute Election List Ousters

Several former Israeli lawmakers have shared their experiences of being abruptly removed from party election lists at the last minute, often citing betrayal and humiliation. These expulsions typically occur just before candidate slates are finalized, leaving individuals with little recourse.

Danny Ayalon, former Deputy Foreign Minister under Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party, described receiving a sudden phone call from Lieberman the night before the list was finalized, informing him he was out. Ayalon, who had served for four years and believed he had positive feedback, was given "refreshment" as the sole reason. He felt the timing was deliberate to prevent any possibility of finding another spot on a different list.

Nissim Ze'ev, a founding member of the Shas party and a 16-year Knesset veteran, recounted a similarly abrupt dismissal in 2015, orchestrated by party leader Aryeh Deri. Ze'ev received a letter via a messenger on the day lists were due to be submitted, despite prior assurances. He described the act as "cowardly" and a "stab in the back," feeling disenfranchised from the movement he helped build.

Issawi Freij, a former Meretz minister and MK, faced a different scenario involving party mergers. Just two days before the deadline for the 2020 elections, a merger between Labor-Gesher and Meretz pushed him from a realistic sixth position to an unlikely eleventh, while a new candidate was placed higher. Freij felt this was a common tactic to sacrifice Arab politicians and that the last-minute nature of such decisions prevents effective challenges.

These politicians emphasize that the last-minute nature of these decisions is a deliberate strategy by party leadership to minimize opposition and create fait accompli situations. While Ayalon, Ze'ev, and Freij have since moved on to other careers, they express lingering bitterness over the manner of their departures from politics.