MK Elazar Stern leaves Yesh Atid party, announces resignation from Knesset

Long-time Yesh Atid Member of Knesset Elazar Stern announced on Friday that he is departing the party and will resign from his position in the Knesset. Stern, who joined Yesh Atid in 2015 and previously served as Intelligence Minister from 2021 to 2022, conveyed his decision in a letter to party leader Yair Lapid.

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was a political home for me that allowed me to express my positions in various fields and, most importantly, to maintain hope among the majority of citizens of the State of Israel that one day the Judaism of the Jewish and democratic State of Israel will be a uniting Judaism, not an inciting and divisive one.

In his letter, Stern described Yesh Atid under Lapid's leadership as a political home that allowed him to voice his positions and, crucially, to foster hope among Israelis for a unifying form of Judaism in the nation. He recalled Lapid once telling him that their friendship predated politics and would endure beyond it. Stern stated his conviction that remaining in Israeli politics would lead to more collaborations aimed at extricating the State of Israel from its current serious situation, which he attributed to the incumbent government.

Yair Lapid responded to Stern's departure by thanking him for his years in politics and their friendship. Lapid acknowledged Stern as a partner in many of Yesh Atid's achievements and in the establishment of the "change government," where Stern served as a minister. He reiterated his sentiment that their friendship would continue after their political careers concluded, wishing Stern success in his future endeavors.

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Elazar was a partner in many achievements of the Yesh Atid party in Israeli politics, as well as in the establishment of the change government, in which he served as a minister.

Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, also bid Stern farewell, characterizing him as a committed and experienced public figure with good intentions and valuable expertise. Eisenkot highlighted Stern's prominent role in the Knesset, particularly in opposing the "Draft Dodger Legislation," which he felt had driven Israeli society into an abyss. Eisenkot expressed appreciation for Stern's dedication and actions, stemming from a long-standing friendship, and hoped he would continue in public service.

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Elazar Stern is a committed and experienced public figure whose heart is in the right place, and whose expertise is important and valued.