Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) עוצמה יהודית
- Leader
- Itamar Ben Gvir, National Security Minister; Otzma Yehudit chairman [source, 2026-09-03]
- Bloc
- Netanyahu bloc (37th government parties)
- Founded
- 2012 as Otzma LeYisrael, renamed Otzma Yehudit 2013 (wiki-only: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otzma_Yehudit)
- Seats, 25th Knesset
- 6
- Status 2026
- running alone. Party statement 2026-07-07: 'Otzma Yehudit will run alone for the sake of the right-wing bloc' (JFeed https://www.jfeed.com/news-israel/ben-gvir-otzma-yehudit-sol...). Smotrich also ruled out a joint run (JPost https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-905489, 2026-08-13). Noam (Avi Maoz) said on 2026-09-02 it is preparing an independent run while talking to Otzma figures and others (Srugim, https://www.srugim.co.il/101010173-%D7%90%D7%91%D7%99-%D7%9E...).
- List status
- Filed with the CEC on 2026-09-07; 35 candidates as submitted to the Central Elections Committee; not yet certified (CEC approval of lists due 2026-09-27). Ballot name: עוצמה יהודית.
- MEF poll average
- 8; range 6 to 9 across 15 polls in the window
Background
Otzma Yehudit was founded in 2012 by former National Union MKs (wiki-only). It entered the Knesset in 2021 on the Religious Zionism joint list and in November 2022 won 6 of that list's 14 seats, becoming a separate faction on 2022-11-20 (TOI https://www.timesofisrael.com/separating-from-religious-zion...). Ben Gvir has served as National Security Minister since December 2022. The party's death penalty for terrorists law passed 62 to 47 on 2026-03-30 (TOI https://www.timesofisrael.com/knesset-passes-death-penalty-l...). In 2026 it announced a solo run, lost MK Almog Cohen to Likud, and gained MK Tally Gotliv from Likud (Haaretz 2026-08-12; JPost https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-907539, 2026-09-03). Noam, which ran with Otzma and RZP in 2022 and holds 1 seat (Avi Maoz), rebranded as 'Noam for Israel' on 2026-07-29 and had not decided by 2026-09-02 whether to run alone or join a list (JPost https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/art... Srugim 2026-09-02).
Knesset list
Order and Hebrew names as filed with the Central Elections Committee (CEC list page, 2026-09-07). Lists are as submitted and not yet certified; the CEC is due to approve lists on 27 September 2026. Party of record in brackets for joint lists. † marks names whose English spelling is transliterated from the filing rather than taken from English-language press.
- Itamar Ben-Gvir בן גביר איתמר (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Tally Gotliv גוטליב רויטל טלי (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Yitzhak Wasserlauf וסרלאוף יצחק שמעון (ארץ ישראל שלנו - מפלגה יהודית מאוחדת לשלמות התורה העם והארץ) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Amihai Eliyahu אליהו עמיחי (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Limor Son Har-Melech סון הר-מלך לימור (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Yitzhak Kroizer קרויטור יצחק (ארץ ישראל שלנו - מפלגה יהודית מאוחדת לשלמות התורה העם והארץ) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Hanamel Dorfman דורפמן חנמאל שיראי (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Tzachi Eliyahu אליהו צחי יצחק (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Yossi Goldberger גולדברגר יוסף יצחק (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Itiel Ne'eman ניימן איתיאל יעקב (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- David Babli בבלי דוד מנחם (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Yishai Fleisher פליישאר ישי יעקב (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Shiran Mirzai מירזאי שירן (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Shimi Golan גולן שימי (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Yaniv Badelov בדלוב יניב (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Aychlutm Masala מסלה אייצ'לותם (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Gadi Mazuz מזוז גד אפרים (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Mordechai Prizis פריזיס מרדכי (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Aharon Amar עמר אהרון (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Or Eliya Yomtobian יומטוביאן אור אליה (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Shira Poni † פוני שירה (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Tiran Zeituna † זיתונה תירן (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Pinchas Yaakov Miyuchas † מיוחס פנחס יעקב (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Liran Shoker † שוקר לירן (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Moshe Chamami † חממי משה (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Keren Bidush † בידוש קרן (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Roi Shealtiel † שאלתיאל רועי (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Yedidya-Chaim Grossman † גרוסמן ידידיה-חיים (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Dror Meir Ohana † אוחנה דרור מאיר (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Roni Ronen Isakov † איסאקוב רוני רונן (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Yehonatan Yitzhak Segal † סגל יהונתן יצחק (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Avraham Goldberg † גולדברג אברהם (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Shlomo Chacham Pinto † פינטו שלמה חכם (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Dvir Rachamim Gefstein † גפשטיין דביר רחמים (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
- Shimon Meir Rachamim † רחמים שמעון מאיר (חזית יהודית לאומית) [source, 2026-09-07]
Platform and positions
| Gaza | Party program 'Disengagement 710', presented 2026-09-03: a dedicated government ministry to encourage voluntary emigration from Gaza, agreements with destination countries, regulated emigration pathways and assistance packages; targets 250,000 departures in year one and 1.86 million within seven years; Otzma makes the plan a condition for joining the next government. [source, 2026-09-03] |
| Gaza | Ynet: the plan replaces the party's earlier call for Israeli governance of Gaza with voluntary emigration. [source, 2026-09-03] |
| security | Legislation. Otzma sponsored the death penalty for terrorists law passed 2026-03-30 (62 to 47), mandating hanging for West Bank Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks. [source, 2026-03-30] |
| Iran | Leader statement. Ben Gvir called Iran a 'Nazi regime', said Trump was 'very naive' in seeking an agreement with Tehran, and rejected diplomacy with Iran. [source, 2026-07-27] |
| Haredi draft | Leader statement. Ben Gvir said those genuinely learning Torah should remain in yeshiva while those not learning should be encouraged to enlist 'with an embrace and not through coercion'; he appealed to Haredi voters disappointed with Shas and UTJ. [source, 2026-08-17] |
| other | Party strategy. Otzma plans a campaign against formation of a 'broad government' after the election and targets Likud and Shas voters. [source, 2026-08-22] |
Recent moves
- 2026-07-07: Ben Gvir's office confirmed Otzma will run alone and ordered members to cut contact with other right-wing parties on mergers [source, 2026-07-07]
- 2026-07-29: Noam rebranded as 'Noam for Israel' and launched its campaign; Maoz said it seeks to bridge Haredi and national-religious publics [source, 2026-07-29]
- 2026-08-12: Deputy minister Almog Cohen left Otzma for Likud and placed in the Likud primary top ten [source, 2026-08-12]
- 2026-08-12: Noam set a condition of at least two realistic slots for any joint list [source, 2026-08-12]
- 2026-08-22: Otzma said it will court disappointed Likud and Shas voters and campaign against a broad government [source, 2026-08-22]
- 2026-08-26: Reports that Ben Gvir is assembling a 12-name list with loyalists and more women; May Golan and Hadar Muchtar considered [source, 2026-08-26]
- 2026-09-02: Ben Gvir gave Likud a same-day ultimatum to complete Tally Gotliv's transfer [source, 2026-09-02]
- 2026-09-03: Likud approved Gotliv's move; Ben Gvir presented 'Disengagement 710' Gaza emigration plan [source, 2026-09-03]
- 2026-09-07: Candidate list filed with the Central Elections Committee (35 names) [source, 2026-09-07]
What MEF has published
- Israel Should Deport European Flotilla Activists to Sudan Michael Rubin, 2026-05-21
- Israel Should Have Let the Flotilla Enter Gaza Giulio Meotti, 2026-05-26
- Trump Reverses Biden's Subjective Weaponization of Sanctions Against Israeli Officials Aaron J. Shuster, 2026-06-24
- Israel Under Netanyahu: Populism and Democratic Decline (book review) Middle East Quarterly, 2026-06-01
- The Momentous, 'Horrific' Hamas-Israel Deal Daniel Pipes, 2025-01-18
Not verified
- Otzma Yehudit's 2026 candidate list beyond Ben Gvir (not published as of 2026-09-03).
- Gotliv's slot and whether May Golan joins.
- Whether Noam runs alone, with Otzma, or elsewhere; Maoz undecided as of 2026-09-02.
- Founding year (wiki-only). Official party site otzma.org.il did not resolve on 2026-09-03.
- MEF archive has no piece with Otzma Yehudit or Ben Gvir as its subject; items above mention him in passing.
Sources
- https://www.gov.il/he/pages/yehudit-meuhedet_list14
- https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-907523
- https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-907539
- https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-907302
- https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-906253
- https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-907078
- https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/ben-gvir-unveils-voluntary-emigration-plan-ai
- https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjb2wk8dzl
- https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjhvtvhpfe
- https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjtibn4sfl
- https://www.timesofisrael.com/knesset-passes-death-penalty-law-for-palestinians-convicted-
- https://www.timesofisrael.com/separating-from-religious-zionism-otzma-yehudit-and-noam-now
- https://www.jfeed.com/news-israel/ben-gvir-otzma-yehudit-solo-smotrich-feiglin
- https://www.c14.co.il/article/1679226
- https://www.babli.co.il/news/ben-gvir-otzma-yehudit-primaries-new-mechanism
- https://matzav.com/ben-gvir-blasts-deri-and-gafni-how-are-you-not-ashamed-full-interview-o
- https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-904171
- https://www.kikar.co.il/israel-news/avi-maoz-noam-party-election-strategy
- https://www.emess.co.il/radio/1914715
- https://www.srugim.co.il/101010173-%D7%90%D7%91%D7%99-%D7%9E%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%96-%D7%90%D7%A
- https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/2026-08-12/ty-article/.premium/netanyahu-cha
- https://www.inn.co.il/news/705570
