Israeli Parties Finalize Knesset Election Slates Amidst Political Maneuvering

The deadline for submitting party slates for the upcoming 26th Knesset elections passed on Tuesday, concluding a critical stage of the campaign. After weeks of negotiations, withdrawals, mergers, and internal struggles, parties presented their final candidate lists for the October 27th vote. The initial day saw 18 lists submitted, including those from "Habait Hayehudi" (Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid), "Yashar!" (Gadi Eisenkot), the Democrats, Yisrael Beiteinu, Otzma Yehudit, and Ra'am. Key parties like Likud, Shas, United Torah Judaism, Religious Zionism, and Blue and White submitted their lists on the final day.

Significant internal shifts occurred within major parties. In Likud, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finalized his "reserved" spots, including placing Talik Guili, mother of a fallen soldier, in ninth place, and media personality Yaakov Bardugo in eleventh. In Shas, while Arieh Deri remained first, reservist officer Dror Amos secured a notable sixth position, a move seen as significant given the upcoming focus on Haredi conscription. United Torah Judaism experienced a generational shift, with Moshe Gafni and Uri Maklev out, and Yaakov Asher taking the lead. Additionally, factions within Agudat Yisrael, specifically the Belz Hasidic movement, opted for a more independent standing within the joint list, signaling a change in internal power dynamics.

New parties are also emerging to appeal to Haredi voters. "HaTzibur HaHaredi" (The Haredi Public), led by Moty Leitner, aims to attract working Haredim with a platform supporting state education and integration into the workforce, though current polls suggest it may not pass the electoral threshold. Another new entity, "HaKehel" (The Community), emerged from an open primary, advocating for direct public election of Haredi representatives rather than selection by party mechanisms. Conversely, "Tzeva Shahor - Magen Olam HaTorah" (Black Color - Defender of the Torah World) represents a more extreme Haredi faction, opposing Haredi conscription and potentially drawing votes from those dissatisfied with established Haredi parties.

In the Religious Zionist camp, the merger between Bezalel Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin was finalized, with Smotrich leading and Feiglin second. This union aims to consolidate the right-wing vote, though MK Ohed Tal, who placed fourth in the party's primaries, was pushed to twelfth place. Benny Gantz's Blue and White party will run independently, despite struggling to pass the electoral threshold in recent polls, positioning Gantz first, followed by Pnina Tamano-Shata and former Beit Shemesh mayor Aliza Bloch. Gantz's decision leaves him outside the other major blocs opposing Netanyahu.

The focus now shifts from list formation to the electoral battle itself, with parties needing to surpass the electoral threshold and consolidate their respective blocs. The effectiveness of recent mergers and reserved seat placements will determine the final map of the next Knesset.