Former minister Ayelet Shaked announced Sunday evening that she will not run in the upcoming elections, ending weeks of speculation over a possible return to political life.
Despite sitting out the current race, Shaked is expected to join Likud, build the seniority required within the party and seek a place on its electoral slate in a future election.
In a personal statement, Shaked said she had hoped Israel’s political system would change following the October 7 massacre, but expressed disappointment that the upcoming election appears to be returning to the same pattern of campaigning, political boycotts and two rival blocs.
“As a mother of a son who is an officer and a daughter who is enlisting for meaningful service, it saddens me to think about what will happen here if we are dragged into consecutive rounds of elections. Our brave children deserve more,” Shaked wrote.
She said Israel needs a broad government bringing together forces from across the political spectrum in order to confront the country’s security, diplomatic and economic challenges.
“I think and believe that a broad, cross-bloc government is necessary, but it seems that such a government is not possible under the current electoral system,” she wrote.
Shaked also apologized to supporters who had encouraged her to return to politics, writing that she did not see a realistic path that would allow her to represent them properly. “If there had been one, I would have said, ‘Here I am,’” she added.
Her decision follows talks with several political figures. Arutz Sheva reported last month that Shaked discussed a possible joint run with Benny Gantz, but the two were unable to resolve disagreements over who would lead the slate, with Gantz unwilling to relinquish the top position.
Shaked was also reportedly in contact with figures in Religious Zionism as part of efforts to establish a potential “third bloc.” Those discussions included the need for additional political mergers in order to prevent votes from being lost to parties that fail to cross the electoral threshold.
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