38 Parties Submit Knesset Candidacies Ahead of Israeli Elections

The official campaign for Israel's 26th Knesset has begun, with representatives from 38 distinct political parties submitting their candidacies by the deadline on Tuesday, September 8th. This marks the conclusion of the initial registration phase, signaling the end of potential mergers and political maneuvering, and the commencement of the true electoral campaign.

The submitted lists represent a wide spectrum of political ideologies, including established parties like Likud, Yesh Atid, Shas, and United Torah Judaism, as well as newer factions and alliances. Notable figures heading these lists include Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Likud, Benny Gantz for Blue and White, and Avigdor Lieberman for Yisrael Beiteinu. Other prominent leaders include Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir for the Religious Zionist and Otzma Yehudit factions respectively, and Mansour Abbas for the United Arab List (Ra'am).

Several parties are running under new alliances or with significant leadership changes. For instance, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid are leading separate lists, "Yamina" and "Yesh Atid," respectively, after their previous alliance dissolved. The Religious Zionist bloc has consolidated under Smotrich, while Otzma Yehudit, led by Ben-Gvir, is running separately. The Joint List, representing Arab parties, has also submitted its list of candidates.

With the lists finalized, the focus now shifts to the upcoming campaign period, where parties will vie for voter support. The election is expected to be highly contested, with numerous parties vying for seats in the Knesset, making the final outcome uncertain.