38 Parties Submit Lists for Knesset Election, Three Vie for Prime Minister

The deadline for submitting party lists for the 26th Knesset elections passed on Wednesday night, with 38 factions officially registering with the Central Elections Committee. The committee, chaired by Judge Noam Sohlberg, will now review the lists, their symbols, and their requested letters, with final decisions expected later this month. The election campaign is primarily focused on three parties presenting candidates for prime minister: Likud, led by Benjamin Netanyahu; "Achdut" (Unity), led by Naftali Bennett; and "Yashar!" (Straight!), led by Gadi Eisenkot. These are flanked by right-wing, ultra-Orthodox, centrist, and left-wing parties, as well as two major Arab slates.

Likud's list, headed by Netanyahu, features prominent figures from media, law, and security, including Eli Cohen, Amir Ohana, Yariv Levin, and Yoav Gallant. Notably, reserve brigadier general Amir Aviv and high-tech entrepreneur Oren Dubronsky have opted out of reserved spots, aiming for professional ministerial appointments outside the Knesset if Likud forms the next government.

Shas, led by Aryeh Deri, has placed Yinon Azulai in the second position, a significant promotion from the previous election. The list also includes reservist Major Dror Amos. United Torah Judaism sees a leadership change with MK Yaakov Asher at the helm, while Moshe Gafni and Uri Maklev will not be running for Knesset after decades of service, though they will remain active in party leadership.

The Religious Zionist party and the "Identity" party have formed a technical bloc, headed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin respectively, to avoid falling below the electoral threshold. Otzma Yehudit, led by Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, is running independently, with MK Tali Gottlieb in the second position. Noam, led by Avi Maoz, also chose to run alone, despite pressure to unite right-wing factions.

On the center-left, former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot leads "Yashar!", a list emphasizing security and statecraft, including former Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen and MK Matan Kahana. Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid have joined forces in the "Achdut" list, with Bennett first and Lapid second. The Democratic party, a merger of the Labor and Meretz parties, is headed by Yair Golan. Benny Gantz leads the Blue and White party, which includes former Beit Shemesh Mayor Dr. Aliza Bloch.

In the Arab sector, the United Arab List, comprising Hadash, Ta'al, and Balad, has reunited, led by Yusuf Jabareen, Ahmad Tibi, and Sami Abu Shehadeh. Ra'am, led by Mansour Abbas, has placed former Yesh Atid MK Yoav Seglovitz in the second position, marking the first time a Jewish candidate holds a realistic spot on their list.

The election landscape is characterized by numerous parties, raising concerns about votes falling below the 6.5% electoral threshold. The fragmentation, particularly on the right, could significantly impact the final outcome and the ability to form a government, with the number of parties crossing the threshold being a critical factor.