From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Gantz, Erdan reportedly meet to discuss potential electoral merger
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 reportedly met today with Unity party chief Gilad Erdan as part of ongoing contacts between the two parties, Channel 12 reports.
According to national broadcaster Kan, the two have recently been in touch regarding a potential merger ahead of the October 27 election. Both parties, neither of which has passed the electoral threshold in several polls, are part of the so-called third bloc of center-right parties that aim to force a compromise between the two larger blocs in order to create a broad Zionist unity government.
In a post on Telegram, Israel Hayom political reporter Bini Aschkenasy says the meeting came after two weeks of texting between Gantz and Erdan, and ended well, with both sides agreeing to another sit-down soon.
Speaking with The Times of Israel this morning, Erdan’s political partner Yuli Edelstein said there are “no ongoing… negotiations right now because unfortunately, as we all know, in politics for some reason everything [is delayed until] the end of the game, and I’m sure that the serious contacts will be somewhere in the beginning of September, and the agreements will be signed in the best case on September 6.”
The deadline for parties to submit their official electoral slates is September 8.
However, Edelstein said, “it doesn’t mean that we can’t talk to each other or write to each other or meet each other for a cup of coffee, but the negotiations, I’m honestly telling you, will happen in a week from now, something like that. Not just us, all the parties will really start talking when push comes to shove.”
The Times of Israel Community.