Ofer Shelah drops out of election race

4 February 2021, 6:07 pm

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MK Ofer Shelah announces he and his Tnufa party will not run in the coming election, after failing to reach a deal with Labor for a merger, and with his party not projected to pass the electoral threshold.

“I made every effort for an alliance with Labor to succeed. It did not happen, and not because of any demand on my part,” he says. “Under these circumstances, I must do what I promised many and prevent a loss of votes for the camp seeking to replace Netanyahu.

Shelah had for years been a top member of Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid, but fell out with the party leader after the latter refused to hold open primaries for its leadership. He broke off to form his own Tnufa party but never gained much traction in the polls.