Biblical Bloc Party Submits Knesset List With Deceased Candidate

An unusual incident occurred at the Central Elections Committee on Tuesday when a representative from the "Biblical Bloc" party submitted its Knesset candidate list. While presenting the four names on the slate, the representative casually mentioned that one of the candidates had already passed away.

The "Biblical Bloc," also known by the acronym GAHAT, is a fringe party founded in 2018 by Dennis (Avi) Lipkin. The party advocates for political cooperation between Jews and Christians in Israel, based on belief in the Bible and support for the State of Israel and the Land of Israel. Its platform includes opposition to territorial concessions, combating terrorism, strengthening Israel's global public diplomacy, and deepening ties between Jews and Christians. The party has previously appealed to Christian communities in Israel and non-Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union.

Despite participating in several past elections, the party has consistently remained far below the electoral threshold. In the 24th Knesset elections, it received only 428 votes, and in the 25th Knesset elections in 2022, its support dropped to 411 votes. The party ran under the letters "YAK" in the last election, with its founder Dennis Lipkin at the head of its list.

The party is attempting another run for the Knesset, but its list submission process has already provided a bizarre moment, with one of its four presented candidates reportedly deceased.