Former Likud veterans Edelstein & Erdan announce new party, vow to insist on ‘broad Zionist gov’t’
'Likud's elected representatives no longer represent the Likud voters,' Erdan charges
After months of reports and rumors, former Likud lawmakers and ministers Gilad Erdan and Yuli Edelstein announced the launch of their yet-unnamed new right-wing party on Thursday, vowing to strive for a “broad Zionist government.”
The two veteran politicians stressed that universal and equal IDF service for all Jewish Israelis would be a prerequisite for them joining any future government, blasting the Likud party for neglecting its former values.
“Tonight I am leaving the political home in which I grew for more than 30 years. Unfortunately, I can no longer call it home. Likud's elected representatives no longer represent the Likud voters whom I love so much,” said Erdan.
The former minister for public security, communications and regional cooperation, as well as Israel's ambassador to the UN from 2020-2024, stressed that his staunch right-wing convictions had not changed.
“I am setting out to ensure that there will be a party that implements them… I believe that the time has come to restore to the right what it has lost in recent years: Responsibility. The dignity and spirit of the Revisionist movement. And mutual respect.”
Erdan noted that he wants to establish a home for “right-wing voters who supported the coalition but do not want draft evasion, and right-wing voters in the opposition who do not want a left-wing government.”
Under 3.25% electoral threshold ✂️✂️✂️
— Israel Elects (@israel_elects) August 6, 2026
🔴Zionist Home (Reservists): 2.1%
🟣Erdan: 1.6%
🟣Zehut: 1.5%
🟣Blue & White: 1.1%
The party, which Israeli media has provisionally dubbed “Likud B,” joins a crowded field of several factions, all of whom present themselves as centrist or right-of-center, demand universal military service, and want to pursue a broad, Zionist government without the Haredi or Arab parties.
These parties include Benny Gantz’s Blue and White, Chili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel’s new “Zionist Home-The Reservists,” Einat Wilf’s Oz party, Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel's "Israel First" party, and yet-undeclared popular figures like Ayelet Shaked, former Fire Commissioner Dedi Simchi, former Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, and others who could either establish new parties or join already existing factions.
The deadline for parties to officially register to run in the upcoming elections is mid-September.
Like many of these parties and figures, Erdan vowed not to “complete” a narrow 61-seat majority for any bloc: “The solution is not another narrow government. The solution is only a broad Zionist government. A government that will not be held hostage by fringe groups and sectoral interests.”
Notably, Erdan didn’t rule out joining a coalition with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while ruling out an alliance with Yair Golan's far-left Democrats party, which is projected to win around 10 seats in the latest polls.
He accused Golan of “vilifying IDF soldiers in front of the world” and never apologizing for it.
Knesset Seat Poll
— Israel Elects (@israel_elects) August 6, 2026
🔵Likud: 23
🔴Yashar: 22 (-1)
🔴Together: 13
🔴Yisrael Beteinu: 9
🔴Democrats: 10 (+2)
🔵Otzma: 9
🔵UTJ: 8
🔵Shas: 7 (-1)
🟢Ra’am: 6 (+1)
🟢Hadash-Ta’al: 5 (-1)
🔵RZP: 4
🔴Zionist Home (Reservists): 4
+/- Aug. 2
via Kantar/Yisrael Hayom, Aug. 6 pic.twitter.com/XsQpBiijDV
Erdan stressed that his and the new party's right-wing credentials set them apart from other parties, such as Zionist Home.
“All my life I have been a man of the right. I have never wavered. I believe in the Land of Israel. I believe in settlement. I believe in governance. I strongly oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state.”
Erdan’s running mate, Edelstein, has served in the Knesset since 1996 and has always been among the leading proponents for Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria, having served as health minister, speaker of the Knesset, and chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
He was fired from his previous role after refusing to approve a draft law, which he considered not stringent enough.
“Even after I was removed from the committee chairmanship, I did not stop fighting,” Edelstein said.
“I stood together with many from the serving public against every attempt to pass a sweeping exemption law that would harm Israel's security. I am proud that I succeeded in preventing a dangerous draft-exemption law, but our struggle is not over and the mission has not yet been completed.”
Erdan vowed that his party would legislate a “Basic Law: Service” enshrining the principle: “In the State of Israel, every citizen has rights – but also duties. Every citizen will serve either in the military or in national service. It is unacceptable that a young [Arab] man from Umm al-Fahm can begin university at age 18 while a young man from Ofakim can do so only after three years of IDF service."
Erdan also hinted that he would announce new party members in the coming days. According to Ynet News, Ayelet Shaked decided against joining the new party, while negotiations continue with former Beit Shemesh Mayor Aliza Bloch, Olympic judoka Oren Smadja, and several retired senior military figures.
Recent polls, which included the yet-to-be-announced Erdan-Edelstein party, projected it to be near the electoral threshold, in the same range as Blue and White and Zionist Home.
Meanwhile, Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beitenu Party continued welcoming popular new members, as former Likud lawmaker Dan Illouz announced his decision to join “because it is the party that today represents the national and liberal values in which I believe.”
Liberman quit the Likud last month, strongly criticizing the party for prioritizing loyalty to the leader over personal responsibility and ignoring its historic values in favor of political survival.
In addition, he welcomed Lili Ben Ami to the party. Ben Ami is the founder of the Michal Sela Forum, a non-profit fighting domestic violence.
Her announcement stated that “following the brutal murder of her sister Michal Sela in 2019, Ben Ami dedicated her life to saving lives and developing hundreds of smart solutions to prevent violence against women and domestic safety.”
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