MEF Menu
Middle East ForumSupport MEF
Middle East Forum Israel Election 2026
Parties / Opposition

Yisrael Beytenu ישראל ביתנו

8
MEF poll average, seats
5 to 8
range in window
6
seats now
Seats in every 2026 poll; line is a five-poll rolling mean; dotted line = threshold
Leader
Avigdor Liberman, Party chairman since founding; incumbent MK; former finance, defence and foreign minister. [source, August 25, 2026]
Bloc
Opposition
Founded
1999, by Avigdor Liberman ahead of the 15th Knesset election (IDI, https://en.idi.org.il/israeli-elections-and-parties/parties/...).
Seats, 25th Knesset
6
Status 2026
Running alone; list filed and approved by the Central Elections Committee plenum on September 27, 2026 (CEC list page, https://www.gov.il/he/pages/israel-beitenu_list11). Liberman on September 2 urged opposition leaders to merge with small parties before the deadline (JPost, https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-907366).
List Status
Approved by the Central Elections Committee plenum on 2026-09-27; 34 candidates as of the CEC page last updated 2026-09-29. Ballot letters: ל. Ballot name: ישראל ביתנו בראשות אביגדור ליברמן.
MEF Poll Average
8; range 5 to 8 across 7 polls in the window

Background

Founded in 1999 with a base among immigrants from the former Soviet Union, the party peaked at 15 seats in 2009 and ran jointly with Likud in 2013 (IDI). Liberman resigned as defence minister in November 2018 over a Gaza ceasefire, then refused to join Netanyahu governments over Haredi conscription, contributing to the 2019 to 2022 election cycle (JPost, 2026-08-25). He served as finance minister in the 2021 to 2022 Bennett-Lapid government. In September 2025 he published 'basic lines' for the 38th government and joined the opposition leaders' permanent forum (party site; Times of Israel). He launched the 2026 campaign on May 6, 2026 calling for a 'decisive outcome' against Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas (JPost, https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/art...).

Knesset List

Order and Hebrew names from the Central Elections Committee (CEC list page, 2026-09-29). Lists are as approved by the CEC plenum on September 27, 2026, with candidate resignations recorded since; ballot letters: ל. 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.

  1. Avigdor Lieberman ליברמן אביגדור [source, September 29, 2026]
  2. Rafael Ben Shitrit † בן שטרית רפאל [source, September 29, 2026]
  3. Talya Lankri לנקרי טליה [source, September 29, 2026]
  4. Oded Forer פורר עודד [source, September 29, 2026]
  5. Yulia Malinovsky מלינובסקי קונין יוליה [source, September 29, 2026]
  6. Sharon Sharabi שרעבי שרון [source, September 29, 2026]
  7. Hamad Amar עמאר חמד [source, September 29, 2026]
  8. Evgeny Sova סובה יבגני [source, September 29, 2026]
  9. Elvira Kolihman קוליחמן אלוירה [source, September 29, 2026]
  10. Dan Illouz אילוז דן אליהו יעקב [source, September 29, 2026]
  11. Lily Ben Ami בן עמי לילי [source, September 29, 2026]
  12. Yael Benvenisti בנבנישתי יעל [source, September 29, 2026]
  13. David Azulai אזולאי דוד [source, September 29, 2026]
  14. Limor Magen Telem מגן תלם לימור [source, September 29, 2026]
  15. Israel Ben Shitrit בן שיטרית ישראל יאיר [source, September 29, 2026]
  16. Sharon Roffe Ofir רופא אופיר שרון אסתר [source, September 29, 2026]
  17. Mor Dekel דקל מור [source, September 29, 2026]
  18. Michaela Levin-Shamir לוין שמיר מיכאלה אנה [source, September 29, 2026]
  19. Olivier Rafowicz רפוביץ אוליביה [source, September 29, 2026]
  20. Yaakov Moses מוזס יעקב [source, September 29, 2026]
  21. Ami Kor † קור עמנואל עמי [source, September 29, 2026]
  22. Maya Plumbaum Katz † פלומבוים כץ מאיה [source, September 29, 2026]
  23. Eddie Mordukhaev † מורדוכייב אדוארד אדי [source, September 29, 2026]
  24. Michal Oron-Ezni † אורון-עזני מיכל [source, September 29, 2026]
  25. Stav Boyango Matza † בויאנגו מצא סתו [source, September 29, 2026]
  26. Asaf Bizberg † ביזברג אסף [source, September 29, 2026]
  27. Steven Yaakov Rubin † רובין סטיבן יעקב [source, September 29, 2026]
  28. Shuli Shamir Kinan † שמיר קינן שולי שולמית [source, September 29, 2026]
  29. Mirit Shaked Barak † שקד ברק מירית [source, September 29, 2026]
  30. Billy Rubin † רובין בילי [source, September 29, 2026]
  31. Omer Ben-Tal † בן-טל עומר [source, September 29, 2026]
  32. Moshe Bek † בק משה [source, September 29, 2026]
  33. Baruch Eskerov † אסקרוב ברוך [source, September 29, 2026]
  34. Alexander Gadalkin † גדלקין אלכסנדר [source, September 29, 2026]

Platform and Positions

securityParty platform, six security principles: 'zero containment, every border violation by one millimetre counts as an invasion'; pre-emptive strikes; move fighting and a security belt into enemy territory; 'the era of the draw is over, every confrontation must end in a clear decision'; no build-up of the asymmetric enemy; maintain 45 days of munitions at all times. [source, July 31, 2026]
IranLiberman at the campaign launch: 'The top priority must be defeating Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas'; 'We need to achieve a decisive outcome, no matter how long it takes.' Leader statement. [source, May 6, 2026]
GazaParty basic lines: 'Maintain IDF freedom of action. End Israeli responsibility for the Strip: closing crossings and cutting off water, electricity and fuel supply. Transfer responsibility to an agreed international body', with Egypt and Gulf states central; a separate party paper proposes Egyptian responsibility under an Arab League mandate. [source, July 31, 2026]
Haredi draftParty basic lines: 'Conscription law for all: mandatory service for every Israeli citizen at 18, without distinction of religion or origin', military or civilian track; evasion means loss of benefits, housing and municipal discounts and public employment; deserters face criminal record, travel ban and loss of the vote. Liberman rules out a coalition with Shas and UTJ. [source, July 31, 2026]
judiciaryParty basic lines: a constitution for Israel based on the Reichman, Friedmann and Nissim outline, entrenching rights, separation of powers and Basic Laws, with a term limit for the prime minister and fewer ministers. First government decision: a state commission of inquiry into October 7 with a mandate over the political, military and intelligence echelons. [source, July 31, 2026]
economyParty basic lines: 'package deal' of deregulation, fewer ministries and a smaller public sector, breaking up monopolies and increasing competition to raise disposable income. [source, July 31, 2026]
religion-stateParty basic lines: one chief rabbi, one city rabbi per locality, abolition of religious councils, public transport on Shabbat by local authority decision, adoption of the Nissim conversion report, civil marriage and divorce for those who choose it. [source, July 31, 2026]
Arab citizensLiberman rejects joining a coalition with Arab parties, calling such a move anti-Zionist (JPost, 2026-08-25). Party basic lines on personal security: a national headquarters against organised crime and protection rackets, three dedicated serious-crime courts in the north, south and Lod, administrative detention for crime bosses and use of spyware. Judea and Samaria: security and economic stabilisation in cooperation with Jordan. [source, August 25, 2026]

Recent Moves

What MEF Has Published

Not Verified

Sources