Ayelet Shaked Announces She Will Not Run in Upcoming Knesset Elections

Ayelet Shaked announced Sunday that she will not be a candidate in the upcoming 26th Knesset elections, despite advanced negotiations to join Benny Gantz's "Blue and White" party. This decision comes just hours before the final deadline for list submissions and marks a significant turn of events, potentially leaving Gantz without a crucial political alliance he sought to bolster his party's standing.

Shaked's potential return to the political arena, nearly four years after last being in the Knesset, was seen as a move that could strengthen Gantz's party by appealing to centrist and moderate right-wing voters. However, after confirming she had discussed joining Gantz's list, Shaked ultimately decided against running.

Her decision comes at a critical juncture for Gantz, whose Blue and White party has been polling significantly below the electoral threshold, with support ranging from 0.4% to 1.8%. Gantz has been actively seeking alliances to remain politically relevant, especially after negotiations with Gilad Erdan collapsed over the weekend. Erdan subsequently announced that his "Unity" party would not compete in the elections, further limiting Gantz's options.

With Shaked's withdrawal, Gantz faces a severely diminished set of choices as the deadline for finalizing party lists approaches.