First to Join Ardan and Edelstein's Party: Aliza Bloch
Former Beit Shemesh mayor Dr. Aliza Bloch is joining the new party founded by former Likud members Gilad Ardan and Yuli Edelstein and will be included in its list ahead of the October elections. Bloch (59) served as mayor from 2018 to 2024 and left her position as president of the Israeli Center for Excellence in Education to return to politics. The party, whose name has not yet been determined, claims to represent a mainstream right-wing public that has distanced itself from Likud, and in recent polls it still does not pass the electoral threshold.
Former Beit Shemesh mayor Dr. Aliza Bloch is joining the new party founded by former Likud members Gilad Ardan and Yuli Edelstein and will be included in its list ahead of the October elections. Bloch (59) was mayor of Beit Shemesh from 2018 to 2024, and previously managed the Branco Weiss high school network. To enter national politics, she left her position as president of the Israeli Center for Excellence in Education. The new party, whose name has not yet been decided, claims it seeks to represent a mainstream right-wing public that has distanced itself from Likud's conduct in recent years, including on the issue of drafting Haredim. In a statement alongside Edelstein on Thursday, Ardan attacked his former party and claimed it no longer represents its voters: "I am parting from the political home where I grew up for more than 30 years. Unfortunately, I can no longer call it home. Likud's elected officials no longer represent Likud voters, whom I love so much." Since then, exchanges and accusations have been ongoing between Likud and Ardan and Edelstein. On Saturday, a war of versions erupted following Ardan's claim that he was offered a safe slot in Likud – a claim that was immediately denied. Yesterday (Sunday), Likud published a statement saying "Edelstein and Ardan are bitter fake right-wingers who are acting to steal votes" and transfer them to a left-wing government led by Eisenkot. Shortly after, Ardan's party responded: "Those who steal the votes of right-wing voters are those who perpetuate draft evasion and abandon the families of fighters and those who serve." The new party's response also included references to figures who supported the disengagement, but its drafters were careful not to mention Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by name: "It is important to remember that Ardan and Edelstein are the ones who fought with all their might against the disgrace of the expulsion from Gush Katif, while the current Likud leadership actually supported it."