Gilad Erdan, Ayelet Shaked announce they will not run in upcoming election

Former Israeli ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan and former justice minister Ayelet Shaked announced Sunday that they will not run in the upcoming election. Erdan, chairman of the Unity Party, stated his decision was due to the party's low likelihood of crossing the electoral threshold and unsuccessful merger attempts with other parties. He noted that despite the October 7 massacre, the public's priority was determining the prime minister, not forming a broad unity government. Erdan said, "Leadership also means recognizing reality as it is and acting responsibly." Shaked expressed disappointment that the political system had not shifted towards greater cooperation post-October 7, believing a broad government was necessary but not feasible in the current election cycle. She stated, "I admit that I hoped that after October 7, Israel's political reality would change."