Gilad Erdan announced Friday that his newly-formed party, 'The Unity' (Ha'Ihud), will not run in the upcoming election cycle, citing insufficient support and the public's desire for a clear choice on the identity of the prime minister. Erdan said he is withdrawing the candidacy but not his public commitment, and thanked running partners Yuli Edelstein, Aliza Bloch, Oren Smadja, and Hezi Nehama. The decision follows weeks of campaigning that failed to secure a realistic path to passing the electoral threshold.
Gilad Erdan, former Israeli ambassador to the UN and the US, announced Friday that the political party he founded, 'The Unity' (Ha'Ihud), will not run in the upcoming elections. In a statement released by his office, Erdan explained that after a month-long campaign, the political reality shows that a majority of the public is focused primarily on a decisive choice regarding the identity of the prime minister, and that the demand for a broad unity government is not high enough on the public's agenda. He noted that support for the party did not guarantee crossing the electoral threshold, and attempts to merge with other parties on the unity bloc did not materialize.
Erdan founded 'The Unity' in late August alongside MK Yuli Edelstein, former Beersheba mayor Aliza Bloch, and others, aiming to offer a national-unity alternative to the existing blocs, as The Zioneer previously reported. The party was positioned as a right-of-center, Zionist framework that would seek broad cooperation across the political spectrum, with a focus on passing a real conscription law and resolving internal divisions. Erdan's decision to withdraw the candidacy marks a significant setback for the nascent party, which had attracted attention as a potential new force. He emphasized that he is not ending his public service and will continue to act for the country and the IDF soldiers.
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