Israeli Billionaire Avi Shaked Launches Joint Jewish-Arab Party for 2026 Elections
Avi Shaked, a 73-year-old Israeli billionaire businessman, has officially submitted his "Together We Will Succeed" party list for the upcoming 2026 Knesset elections, scheduled for October 27, 2026. Shaked, co-founder of the online gambling giant 888 Holdings, described the move as the most significant risk he has taken in his life.
The "Together We Will Succeed" party is founded on the principle of genuine partnership between Jews and Arabs in Israel, advocating for full civil equality, personal security for all citizens, and a political process aimed at regional stability and peace. The party emphasizes that its core mission is not to protest from the opposition but to actively participate in decision-making within the government.
The top five candidates on the "Together We Will Succeed" list reflect this commitment to Jewish-Arab partnership. Avi Shaked, the party chairman and a prominent peace activist, leads the list. He is followed by Naim Al-Atawneh, a Bedouin public figure from the Negev; Hatem Attallah, a Druze public figure from Yarka; Halla Suleiman, a social activist from Nazareth; and Driss Amrih, a young public figure from Tamra. The party stated that this composition represents the backbone of the list, ensuring full Jewish-Arab partnership and representation for various Arab communities within Israel, including Bedouins, Druze, and residents of the Galilee and Triangle regions, alongside a new generation of public activists.
Shaked, whose net worth is estimated at over a billion shekels, has a long history of activism on the Israeli left, having been a member of the Labor Party for over 40 years and a key figure in the Geneva Initiative. He previously ran for the leadership of the Labor Party in 2021 and 2024. He also engaged in negotiations last year to take over the management of the Israeli soccer club Bnei Sakhnin, though the deal did not materialize.
Shaked stated upon submitting the list, "We are launching a path with people who come from the real world, not from the corridors, and with one commitment: to represent everyone who is tired of choosing between fear and despair. There is a third way, and we are here to offer it."
