Ayelet Shaked drops election bid, eyes Likud comeback

Former Israeli ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan and former justice minister Ayelet Shaked have announced that they will not seek re-election in the upcoming Israeli election, citing the political climate and challenges in forming a broad unity government. Erdan, the chairman of the Unity Party, cited the party's lack of support for crossing the electoral threshold and unsuccessful efforts to merge with other parties as reasons for his withdrawal.

Shaked expressed disappointment that the political system had not changed following the October 7 massacre, stating that a broad government spanning political factions was necessary to address Israel's security and economic challenges. However, she believed such a government was not feasible in the current election cycle. Both announced that withdrawing from the race was a responsible decision aimed at ensuring their supporters' votes would not be wasted.