Israel's Election Authority Approves 38 Knesset Lists and Party Symbols

Israel's Central Elections Committee has approved 38 candidate lists for the upcoming 26th Knesset elections, assigning each a unique Hebrew letter symbol. The committee announced the finalized list of parties and their designated letters on Sunday.

Among the approved lists are prominent parties such as Likud, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, and Blue and White, headed by Benny Gantz. Other notable parties include Yisrael Beiteinu under Avigdor Lieberman, National Religious Party with Bezalel Smotrich, and Otzma Yehudit led by Itamar Ben-Gvir.

However, two lists, the United Arab List (Ra'am) and the Joint List, were approved conditionally, pending a Supreme Court decision. The Elections Committee had previously determined that these lists are barred from participating in the elections under Basic Law: The Knesset, which prohibits parties that deny the existence of Israel or incite racism. The committee also disqualified two candidates from the Joint List.

Several smaller parties and new political movements also received approval, including lists led by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Gadi Eisenkot, and Ofer Winter. The approved symbols range from single letters to two-letter combinations, intended to help voters identify their chosen party on the ballot.

The election date has not yet been set, but the approval of these lists marks a significant step in the electoral process.