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Monday, February 23, 2026
Gantz calls to raise minimum electoral threshold for entry into Knesset
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz calls to raise the minimum electoral threshold for entry into the Knesset, even if it will hurt his own party politically.
Addressing a gathering in the Knesset aimed at furthering electoral reform, Gantz states that “the electoral threshold should be raised to 3.5 percent and not lowered,” even though, given his current standing in the polls, it would harm his chances.
At present, a party that wishes to enter the 120-seat Knesset must receive at least 3.25% of the nationwide vote. This has been the case since 2014, when the minimum threshold was raised from 2%. Lowering the threshold would make it harder for smaller parties across the political spectrum to enter the Knesset. Recent polls show Blue and White at or below the threshold. An increase, which seems unlikely at this time, would also prevent Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s far-right Religious Zionism party from reentering the Knesset.
Gantz recently sought legislation to impose term limits on the prime minister but failed to enlist enough support for it to pass a preliminary reading in the Knesset.
The Times of Israel Community.