Gantz and Shaked Negotiate Joint Run with Key Role Division Ahead of October Elections

Benny Gantz and Ayelet Shaked have been engaged in intensive negotiations until recently to run together in the upcoming Israeli elections scheduled for October 27. The proposed arrangement places Gantz at the top of the joint list, while Shaked would receive the first choice of government position after the elections, according to reports by Amit Segal on Channel 12 News. Shaked, a former Justice Minister, has been negotiating her political comeback with Gantz, who insisted on retaining the first spot on the list. The emerging plan would allow Shaked to select her preferred government role first, even though Gantz would officially lead the list if the joint run materializes.

This move comes amid growing pressure for further unifications within the center-right political bloc, as partners believe that only through alliances can they surpass the electoral threshold. Gantz’s party is currently polling weakly, with some surveys indicating a risk of failing to cross the threshold. Concurrently, Shaked is in talks with Yuli Edelstein to form a new right-wing conservative party as an alternative to the existing political landscape.

Meanwhile, former Likud members Gilad Erdan and Yuli Edelstein announced a joint run under a new party, aiming to attract voters who supported the current government in 2022 but are reluctant to vote for it again. This so-called "third bloc," which includes members from the change government such as Yoaz Hendel and Hili Tropper, anticipates that additional mergers will be necessary before the final candidate list submission deadline to avoid fragmentation and ensure electoral viability.

The political map in the center-right camp continues to shift rapidly, with mounting pressure for alliances as the deadline for submitting electoral lists approaches.