Gilad Erdan Halts Unity Party Bid for Upcoming Election

Gilad Erdan announced Friday that the "Unity" party he recently founded will not compete in the upcoming Israeli elections. Erdan stated that the decision was made after it became clear the party lacked sufficient support to pass the electoral threshold, and that attempts to merge with other parties had not materialized.

Erdan explained that he established the Unity party several weeks ago out of a sense of mission, believing Israel needed a broad Zionist government capable of passing a real conscription law and resolving national disputes. He cited the October 7th Hamas attack and its heavy toll as a catalyst for his belief that Israel needed to change direction.

However, after about a month of campaigning, Erdan concluded that the public's priorities were different. "Most of the public, first and foremost, seeks a clear decision on the identity of the prime minister, and the need for a broad unity government is not high on the citizens' list of priorities," he said.

He further elaborated that the party's current support did not guarantee passing the electoral threshold, and potential mergers with other parties within the "unity bloc" were not progressing. Erdan emphasized that this decision was made responsibly to ensure his voters' voices would impact the election results and not be wasted.

Erdan thanked the party's activists and leadership, including Yuli Edelstein, Aliza Bloch, Oren Smadja, and Chazi Nahama, for their partnership. He stressed that this withdrawal does not signify the end of his public service, and he will continue to work for the nation, IDF soldiers, and a better future for Israel.