Likud's New Knesset Members Emerge from Bereavement and Battle
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
New candidates are set to enter the Knesset on the Likud party list, based on recent election polls projecting 24-30 seats. Among the expected new MKs are Tali Guili, mother of a fallen soldier, and Elisha Medan, a reservist who lost his legs in combat. Other notable figures include former Labor MK Eli Goldschmidt, legal commentator David Peter, and activists like Itzik Bonzel and Moshe Benjamin Peretz. The final composition of the Knesset list will depend on the official election results.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Likud's election projections indicate several new faces, including Tali Guili and Elisha Medan, entering the Knesset.
- Tali Guili is the mother of a soldier killed and body taken to Gaza on October 7th.
- Elisha Medan, a reservist, lost both legs in combat and has become a speaker on heroism.
- Yaakov Bardugo, a media personality, and David Peter, a legal commentator, are also expected to enter the Knesset.
- Eli Goldschmidt, a former Labor MK, is returning to politics with a changed stance.
- Itzik Bonzel, father of a fallen soldier, and Moshe Benjamin Peretz, a long-time activist, are among other potential new MKs.
The Likud party is poised to bring several new faces into the Knesset following recent television polls, which projected the party to win between 24 and 30 seats. While Likud is expected to remain the largest party, the exact number of mandates will determine which candidates secure a seat.
According to all projections, the top four candidates who have not previously served in the Knesset are expected to enter parliament: Tali Guili, Yaakov Bardugo, Elisha Medan, and David Peter. If the News 14 poll, which awarded Likud 30 seats, proves accurate, five additional candidates will join them.
Tali Guili, ranked ninth, is the mother of fallen soldier Rani Guili, who was killed fighting terrorists on October 7th and whose body was taken to Gaza. She became a prominent figure among hostage families advocating for military pressure on Hamas and delivered a torch at the Independence Day ceremony. Yaakov Bardugo, placed eleventh, is a former CEO of various public sector entities and a prominent media personality on Channel 14 and Radio Galey Israel.
Elisha Medan, at number 15, is a co-founder of the settlement of Avigail in the Hebron Hills and the son of Rabbi Yakov Medan. He was severely wounded as a reservist in November 2023, losing both legs in an explosion in Beit Hanoun. He has since become a speaker on heroism and unity and also delivered an Independence Day torch. Attorney David Peter, sixteenth on the list, is a legal scholar and commentator who previously represented the government in High Court of Justice petitions.
Eli Goldschmidt, ranked 26th, is returning to the Knesset after over two decades, having previously served as a Member of Knesset for the Labor party. He has since shifted his political stance, renouncing his support for the Oslo Accords and Disengagement, and now supports Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Erez Tadmor, 27th, a co-founder of the "Im Tirtzu" movement and former spokesperson for Likud's information campaign, is known for his ideological stances against judicial activism.
Shlomo Lerner, 28th, a lawyer, businessman, and reserve Major, has served over 400 days in reserve duty since October 7th, including combat in Gaza. He founded the Likud Reserve Soldiers Forum with the stated goal of preventing another October 7th. Itzik Bonzel, 29th, is the father of fallen soldier Amit Bonzel and a co-founder of the "Am Yisrael Chai" forum, which advocates for continuing the fight against Hamas. Moshe Benjamin Peretz, 30th, is a long-time Likud activist representing grassroots support and the social and geographic periphery.
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