Full Breakdown
Yashar Party’s Candidate List and Election Prospects in Israel’s 2026 Vote
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Yashar Submits 40-Candidate Slate Ahead of the October 27 Election
On the September 7 deadline, the Yashar party, led by former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, filed a slate of 40 candidates with the Central Elections Committee. The list places former Shin Bet director Yoram Cohen at 2, former minister Orit Farkash-Hacohen at 3, Israel-Prize winner Adi Altschuler at 4, and former Blue and White MK Matan Kahana at 5. Security-focused figures dominate the top tier; educators, cultural leaders and Druze representatives appear further down. If Yashar secures the projected 23–25 seats, roughly half of the slate would enter the 120-member Knesset.
Background & Context
Eisenkot entered politics after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, which claimed his son and two nephews. He launched Yashar in September 2025 as a centrist alternative emphasizing “repair, healing and hope” and a “realistic plan” for drafting ultra-Orthodox citizens. Polls over the past year have repeatedly shown Yashar ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud, prompting Netanyahu to urge right-wing parties to merge.
Timeline
- June 30 2026 – Eisenkot unveils Yashar’s campaign in Hod Hasharon.
- September 7 2026 – Yashar submits its 40-candidate list (deadline).
- September 8 2026 – Midgam poll projects Yashar as the largest party (25 seats vs 21 for Likud).
- October 27 2026 – Scheduled national election.
Data & Statistics
- Midgam (Sept 8): Yashar 25, Likud 21.
- i24NEWS (Sept 8): Likud 27, Yashar 22.
- Channel 13 (Sept 8): Tie – 53 seats each for Netanyahu’s bloc and the Zionist opposition.
- Average of five polls (Sept 8): Yashar 23.6, Likud 21.8.
- Electoral threshold: 3.25 % (four seats).
Official Statements & Responses
Eisenkot pledged a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 failures and warned that Israel’s security depends on “genuine security” rather than the “dangerous” leadership of the current government.
Netanyahu warned, “when we unite, we win. When we splinter, we lose,” and argued that the failure of Ofer Winter’s People of Israel party to merge “puts us in danger.”
Former Shin Bet operative Dvora Sharifian Bachar (14th-place candidate) said, “Iran was the focus of my 20-year career in the Mossad,” adding that Israel must “win against Iran.”
Criticism & Opposition
Psychology professor Daniel Bar-Tal (Tel Aviv University) argued that Netanyahu “desires the status of victim,” using it to deflect responsibility for security failures and judicial confrontations.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Iran was the focus of my 20-year career in the Mossad,” — Dvora Sharifian Bachar
- “When we unite, we win. When we splinter, we lose,” — Benjamin Netanyahu
- “He chose to go separately and we are now in danger,” — Benjamin Netanyahu
- “We will lead the way to victory in the elections and know how to act in every possible way toward the ultimate goal: bringing about a different government,” — Gadi Eisenkot
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Polls diverge on which bloc will command a majority. The i24NEWS poll places Likud ahead, while Midgam and Channel 13 show Yashar leading. No poll provides a definitive projection for post-election coalition composition, leaving uncertainty about whether Yashar’s commission of inquiry will be realized.
What’s Next
- October 27 2026 – National election; parties need at least 61 seats to form a government.
- If Yashar attains a governing share, Eisenkot will establish a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 attack.
- Netanyahu’s Likud will continue to seek mergers with smaller right-wing parties before the deadline to avoid vote fragmentation.
