Gantz's 'Blue and White' Party to Run in Elections Despite Poor Polls

The 'Blue and White' party, led by Benny Gantz, announced Tuesday it will submit a list of candidates for the upcoming Knesset elections, despite current polls indicating it may not pass the electoral threshold. The party has added several new figures to its slate, including MK Pnina Tamano-Shata, who is listed second. Also expected to join are former Beit Shemesh Mayor Aliza Bloch, MK Alon Schuster, and former MK Mofid Mar'i, a prominent figure from the Druze community. Gantz also announced the addition of three local council members: Yehudit Uriel, deputy mayor of Sderot and chairwoman of Na'amat in the southern region; Ariel Bizi, a reservist and member of the Jerusalem City Council; and Juliana Ben Abraham, responsible for innovation and artificial intelligence on the Netanya City Council.

Meanwhile, Yoaz Hendel, who is running with the 'Reservists' party alongside Yaron Zelekha and Einat Wilf, urged Gantz to withdraw from the race. Hendel stated, "Benny Gantz is a worthy person with many merits, I am convinced he will return to public life soon. Now is the time to recognize the reality. There is no point in holding onto a mandate that could go to the Reservists party, the economic party, the only party passing the electoral threshold." Hendel argued that Gantz's candidacy "harms the effort to create an alternative that will bring a Zionist government to power."