New Hope Party Receives Millions in Election Advance Funding

The political party "New Hope for Israel" recently received an election advance payment of 5.8 million shekels from the state. The party was founded by Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who has since left it to run in the upcoming Knesset elections on the Likud party list. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reserved the ninth spot on the Likud list for Talik Guili, mother of fallen soldier Ran Guili, as a representative of "New Hope for Israel." Consequently, the party qualified for the advance funding, receiving 1.46 million shekels for each of its four outgoing Knesset members: Saar, Ze'ev Elkin, Sharan Haskel, and Miki Zohar.

Several other incumbent parties also received substantial advance payments. The Likud party received 37 million shekels, minus some of its past debts. Yesh Atid, running with Benny Gantz, received 32 million shekels. Shas received 16.14 million shekels, and Blue and White, led by Gantz, received 9.7 million shekels. However, recent polls indicate Blue and White may not pass the electoral threshold, raising questions about how it will repay the funds it has received. Gantz has declared he will continue his campaign despite the polls.

Other parties receiving advances include Israel Beiteinu with 7.2 million shekels, Labor (running as Democrats) with 4.3 million shekels, United Torah Judaism factions Agudat Yisrael and Degel HaTorah with 3.7 million and 3.3 million shekels respectively, Religious Zionism with 8.8 million shekels, and Otzma Yehudit with 6.9 million shekels. New parties were required to provide bank guarantees as a condition for receiving advances, to be forfeited if they fail to pass the electoral threshold.

Additionally, the "Yisrael" party led by Gadi Eisenkot received an advance of 3.67 million shekels, with a potential supplement up to 18.6 million shekels based on submitted guarantees. Gilad Erdan's party, Achiezer, received 2.35 million shekels against guarantees. However, Erdan announced his party would not run in the upcoming elections. As a result, the party must return the funds. Since the party likely spent some of the money, the Knesset has presented guarantees from MK Yuli Edelstein (200,000 shekels) and Erdan's father, Avinoam Erdan (250,000 shekels), to the bank for forfeiture.