Israeli Parties Race to Submit Election Lists Amid Coalition Talks

The deadline for submitting electoral lists to Israel's Central Elections Committee is approaching, with the process beginning on September 7th and concluding on September 8th. Following this deadline, no further changes to lists or the formation of alliances will be permitted.

In the opposition bloc, discussions continue regarding a potential merger between the Yashar party and the Be'adach bloc, though prospects for this union are currently considered low despite ongoing contact. Yashar plans to present its Knesset candidate list on September 7th in Rosh Ha'ayin but will delay its submission to the committee until the evening of September 8th to keep options open for negotiations.

Meanwhile, within another bloc, efforts persist to persuade Ofer Vinter, head of the Amcha Yisrael party, to join forces with the Tzionut Datit party for the elections. Vinter has rejected this proposal and intends to be among the first to submit his party's list to the committee to reduce external pressure. Amcha Yisrael stated that alliances are only possible with new, active figures in the political arena.

The Likud party has sharply criticized Vinter's refusal to unite, with MK Avichai Boaron asserting that Vinter is "burning the votes of right-wing voters and collapsing the entire right-wing camp." Within Likud itself, uncertainty remains regarding the reserved spots Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can allocate. Reports indicate continued attempts to recruit former IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, who has repeatedly declined. Likud doubts it can fill all reserved spots with external candidates, potentially leading to two spots being given to primary-rejected Knesset members, with former Shin Bet chief Avi Dichter's name mentioned in this context. Oren Dobronsky, based in the US, has also declined a Likud offer to run.

Due to the lack of finalized candidates for reserved spots, the Likud secretariat's vote to approve the final electoral list has been postponed to September 8th. The party's internal court upheld a decision on September 7th placing Eti Atiya at the 20th spot and Science and Technology Minister Gila Gamliel at the 25th.

Scandals also persist within the ultra-Orthodox Yahadut HaTorah bloc. Following leadership changes in Degel HaTorah and the removal of MKs Moshe Gafni and Uri Maklev from the candidate list, Agudat Yisrael leader Yitzhak Goldknopf has reportedly stripped his close advisor Moti Babchek of all authority. Babchek is considered a highly influential figure in Yahadut HaTorah, and a final decision rests with the head of the Gur Hasidic court.