Likud Party Expels MK Yuli Edelstein, Cites New Political Path

The Likud party officially notified Knesset Member Yuli Edelstein on Sunday of his expulsion from the party. In a letter, Likud called on Edelstein to resign from the Knesset, paving the way for Erez Tadmor, a columnist and Channel 14 panelist, to take his place on the party's list.

Likud stated that Edelstein's expulsion was a direct result of his public announcement that he intended to pursue a new political direction. The party emphasized that Edelstein should resign to allow the fulfillment of the mandate given to the Likud list in the elections by the next candidate on the list.

This move follows the recent political failure of Edelstein's new party, "HaAchdut" (Unity), which he formed with former Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan. The party announced last Friday that it would not run in the upcoming elections.

Edelstein had previously stated in an interview that Likud was no longer his "home" and that he and his partners had faced political obstacles preventing them from advancing their positions. He also sharply criticized the developing conscription law, calling it a "complete evasion law."