Newsletter
Newsletter Support JNS

Likud files 26th Knesset election slate

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finalized the parliamentary roster, as Amir Avivi gave up a reserved position to lawmaker Avichay Buaron.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presents the new members joining the Likud party’s candidate list ahead of the upcoming general elections, in Jerusalem, Sept. 8, 2026. Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presents the new members joining the Likud party’s candidate list ahead of the upcoming general elections, in Jerusalem, Sept. 8, 2026. Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90.

Israel’s ruling Likud Party submitted its candidate slate for the 26th Knesset on Tuesday night ahead of the Central Elections Committee deadline for the Oct. 27 national election.

Prime Minister and party chairman Benjamin Netanyahu heads the 35-candidate list, which integrates winners of the party’s primary alongside personal appointees placed in reserved slots.

Likud spokesperson Neta Molcho told JNS on Wednesday that Brig. Gen. (res.) Amir Avivi, founder of the Israel Defense and Security Forum, relinquished his reserved 35th spot on the roster to ensure sitting Knesset Member Avichay Buaron remained in a position to enter the next parliament.

Netanyahu announced that Avivi will instead serve as an external cabinet minister if Likud forms the next government.

The submitted Likud slate for the 26th Knesset:

  1. Benjamin Netanyahu
  2. Eli Cohen
  3. Amir Ohana
  4. Yariv Levin
  5. Miri Regev
  6. Israel Katz
  7. Gideon Sa’ar
  8. Ofir Katz
  9. Talik Gvili
  10. Yoav Kisch
  11. Yaakov Bardugo
  12. Miki Zohar
  13. Almog Cohen
  14. Amichai Chikli
  15. Elisha Medan
  16. David Peter
  17. Moshe Saada
  18. Haim Katz
  19. David Amsalem
  20. Eti Hava Attia
  21. Boaz Bismuth
  22. David Bitan
  23. Shlomo Karhi
  24. Nir Barkat
  25. Gila Gamliel
  26. Eli Goldschmidt
  27. Erez Tadmor
  28. Shlomo Lerner
  29. Itzik Boncel
  30. Moshe Binyamin Peretz
  31. Shuki Yehoshua Ohana
  32. Ze’ev Elkin
  33. Amit Halevi
  34. Keren Atias Bublil
  35. Avichai Boaron
“The administration is giving its middle finger to the Congress,” Sen. Chris Murphy told reporters, after he was denied access to U.S. military facilities in the Gulf.
“So much of the New York Oct. 7 story is the role that the New York Jewish community played in fighting for the return of the hostages,” Hindy Poupko of the UJA told JNS.
“The charging by the FBI of Haverford College associate professor Guangtian Ha for harassment and intimidation of a Jewish Israeli professor closes the dotted line between verbal acts of harassment and actionable violence which, when Jews are the recipients, is far too often ignored,” Lori Lowenthal Marcus of the Deborah Project told JNS.
“Mamdani could not even give us one day to mourn without defaming the Jewish people and giving cover to our enemies,” Inna Vernikov, a Jewish member of the New York City Council, told JNS. “We will not let Mamdani and his radical pals rewrite Oct. 7.”