Where are the new faces? The lists reveal that politics has hardly changed

An opinion column by Zalman Shoval examines the candidate lists for the 26th Knesset and reveals that despite the public consensus after October 7 demanding a replacement of the political echelon, the familiar faces remain. The author casts doubt on the promise of the generals' parties, warns against wasted votes and political corruption, and calls for the formation of a broad government without extreme fringes.

Zalman Shoval's opinion column examines the final lists for the 26th Knesset and reveals that the political revolution many expected after October 7 has hardly materialized. The familiar faces from the previous Knesset will return to the house, and the public consensus that demanded replacing the entire political echelon has disappeared. The author refers to three lists headed by senior military figures, but warns that past experience shows that generals' parties often fail, and that military ranks are not a substitute for understanding in policy and economics. Shoval warns against wasted votes and their consequences for the composition of the next government, and calls for the formation of a broad government without extreme fringes from the right and left. He compares the 2026 elections in Israel to wartime elections in other countries, and warns of unprecedented public division and a campaign of political mudslinging and fake news that will accompany the campaign.