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National Unity party unveils Knesset list
Carrie Keller-Lynn is a political and legal correspondent for The Times of Israel
The National Unity party, an alliance formed by Blue and White and New Hope, unveils its list of candidates for the upcoming Knesset elections.
Blue and White’s Benny Gantz takes the top spot with New Hope leader Gideon Sa’ar in the second slot, followed by former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, a political newcomer.
The top eight spots on the list alternate between Blue and White and New Hope politicians. Ministers Pnina Tamano-Shata, Yifat Shasha-Biton, Chili Tropper, and Ze’ev Elkin are in spots four through seven, with Blue and White MK Michael Biton in the eighth spot
Former Yamina minister Matan Kahana is ninth.
Blue and White minister Orit Farkash-Hacohen is in the tenth spot, restarting the alternating roster, followed by MKs Sharren Haskel, Alon Schuster, Michel Buskila, and Eitan Ginzburg in spot 14.
The crowded list highlights the problems of uniting several parties, with important operators like Blue and White faction director Ginzburg left in the 14th spot and at risk of not making it into the next Knesset with the party currently only polling at between 12 and 14 seats.
Although the party previously announced that Eisenkot would bring candidates onto the list with him, he is the only non-current lawmaker to snag a realistic spot.
Among the other current lawmakers knocked out of realistic spots by the merger are environmental advocate Alon Tal from Blue and White, who is pushed to 24, and former Yamina MK Shirly Pinto, who left her former party for the 23rd spot.
The list’s two Druze candidates also occupy unrealistic spots, with Akram Hasson in 16 and MK Mufid Mari in slot 19.
National Unity also revealed “After him” as its election slogan on Tuesday, harking back to Gantz’s paratrooper past by making a play on the brigade’s historic rallying cry “After me,” indicating the initiative to lead troops into battle.
