Israeli Parties Finalize Knesset Lists Amid Shifting Alliances

Political parties in Israel are in a race against time to finalize their lists for the upcoming 26th Knesset elections, with the registration deadline set for Tuesday evening, September 8th. This period has seen significant jockeying for positions, party switches, and the formation of new alliances as politicians scramble to secure their places in the next parliament.

A major shake-up is occurring within Yair Lapid's "Yesh Atid" party. Following its merger with Naftali Bennett's faction into the "Yachad" list, fewer spots are available for incumbent lawmakers than there are contenders. This has led to several departures, with some prominent figures opting out of the upcoming elections altogether. Expected to retain prominent positions on the "Yachad" list from "Yesh Atid" are Meirav Ben-Ari, Meirav Cohen, Naor Shiri, Vladimir Beliak, and Ram Ben-Barak. They will be joined by retired Major General Noam Tibon, a hero of the October 7th events, who recently joined Bennett and Lapid's political venture. The exact placement of candidates is anticipated to be announced soon, possibly by Sunday evening, September 6th.

This realignment represents a significant personnel change for "Yesh Atid," which secured 24 seats in the 2022 elections. Many current MKs will not be included in the unified list. Notably, Karin Elharrar, a former Energy Minister, announced she would not run again but would remain with "Yesh Atid" to assist in the campaign. Her decision leaves Lapid as the sole remaining parliamentary politician from the original "Yesh Atid" team that launched before the 2013 elections. Other former MKs, including Mickey Levy and Meir Cohen, have also opted out of running, while Debi Biton and Tatiana Mazarsky were previously excluded from the list.

Some former "Yesh Atid" members have moved to other parties. Elazar Stern has joined Gadi Eisenkot's "Yashar!" list, and Yoav Segalovich has joined Mansour Abbas's Ra'am party. Lapid is thus heading into the elections with a substantially revamped team, and former colleagues are now part of competing political projects.

Meanwhile, the future of Hili Tropper remains uncertain. Both Bennett and Eisenkot are reportedly interested in him joining their respective factions. However, Tropper is insisting on bringing his current team with him, including Shira Shapira and Elisaf Peres, complicating negotiations. His current list with Yoaz Hendel is also struggling to pass the electoral threshold in polls.

Similar intense negotiations are underway across the political spectrum. Bennett and Eisenkot have yet to agree on a joint list. Gilad Erdan and Yuli Edelstein's "HaIchud" is discussing cooperation with Benny Gantz's "Kachol Lavan." On the right, Bezalel Smotrich's "Religious Zionism" has merged with Moshe Feiglin's "Zehut." Tali Gottlieb is leaving the Likud to run with Itamar Ben-Gvir's "Otzma Yehudit," a move that strengthens Ben-Gvir's list and secures Gottlieb a Knesset seat. On the other end, Sharen Haskel and Nir Upetro have agreed to merge "Yisrael Tehila" and "Ale Yarok."

The next four days are critical, with potential for further shifts, mergers, and withdrawals before the September 8th deadline. After the lists are finalized, the political maneuvering space will significantly shrink, and the final compositions of Israeli parties will be revealed to the public before voters head to the polls on October 27th.