Unity Party leader Gilad Erdan withdraws from election after failed merger talks

Gilad Erdan has withdrawn the Unity Party from Israel's 2026 election, saying it was unlikely to clear the electoral threshold and that efforts to merge with other parties had failed.

In a statement, the former ambassador to the United Nations said the party's support remained too weak to justify continuing its campaign. Talks to join a broader unity bloc had also failed to produce an agreement.

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Despite the many efforts we made, the support for the Unity Party I established so far does not provide a high likelihood of crossing the electoral threshold, and the possibilities of joining with additional parties in the unity bloc are also not materializing.

“Despite the many efforts we made, the support for the Unity Party I established so far does not provide a high likelihood of crossing the electoral threshold, and the possibilities of joining with additional parties in the unity bloc are also not materializing,” Erdan said. “Therefore, I have decided that the Unity Party will not run in the upcoming election.”

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Therefore, I have decided that the Unity Party will not run in the upcoming election.

Erdan said the decision reflected the priorities of voters, who he said were mainly seeking a clear choice for prime minister. The party's proposal for a broad unity government had not become a major electoral priority, he said.

The announcement followed a report that merger talks between Unity and Blue and White had failed. Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot praised Erdan's move as “a responsible and leadership-driven decision” and said it could improve the chances of replacing the October 7 government and forming a broad Zionist government. He urged other parties struggling to pass the electoral threshold to put Israel's interests first.

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A responsible and leadership-driven decision