Four Parties Vie for Right-Center Voters in Israel’s Third Bloc Ahead of Elections

Ahead of the upcoming Israeli elections, four political parties collectively known as the "third bloc" are competing to attract right and center-right voters disillusioned with the current right-wing government. These parties aim to surpass the electoral threshold and secure seats in the next Knesset, with recent polls estimating their combined strength between 6 and 10 mandates. However, only one party from this bloc currently consistently crosses the threshold.

Blue and White, led by former IDF Chief of Staff and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, has seen fluctuating support since its 2019 inception. After initially growing during the war period, the party has recently struggled, with some members defecting. Gantz has declared his intention to form a broad Zionist unity government excluding extremists and refuses to support either Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or the opposition bloc. Negotiations are underway for a potential alliance with former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, who has yet to confirm her political return.

Another contender is the Zionist Home for Reservists party, formed by former ministers Hili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel. Targeting right-center voters, religious Zionists, and reservists, this party demands a national security portfolio and insists on a government excluding Netanyahu and those involved in the October 7 leadership. It supports a draft law and rejects coalition with ultra-Orthodox parties, but unlike Blue and White, it may back the opposition bloc’s candidate for prime minister if they secure the most support.

Ayelet Shaked, a longtime ally of Naftali Bennett, is considering reentering politics exclusively through a right-wing party and has held talks with Gantz and others, though no formal alliance has been announced. Meanwhile, former Likud ministers Gilad Erdan and Yuli Edelstein recently launched a new party aiming to force the formation of a unity government that will pass a draft law. They have faced criticism from Likud, which accuses them of splitting the right-wing vote.

Lastly, MK Sharren Haskel, formerly of New Hope and Likud, established the Israel First party after leaving the government. She opposes draft exemptions and coalition funding that perpetuate draft avoidance. Haskel calls for a broad Zionist government and has invited figures like Edelstein to join her effort. She emphasizes enforcing a genuine draft law and uniting parties committed to equal national service.

Together, these parties represent a fragmented but active attempt to reshape Israel’s right-center political landscape by appealing to voters dissatisfied with both Netanyahu’s bloc and the opposition.