Yisrael Beitenu list: Two famous models, one disappointed ambassador

Danny Ayalon 7th, behind Orly Levy; Misezhnikov 3rd; Tartman off list.

By HAVIV RETTIG GUR
anastasia michaeli DAMN SHES FIT 248.88 (photo credit: Courtesy)
anastasia michaeli DAMN SHES FIT 248.88
(photo credit: Courtesy)
The Israel Beitenu Party announced its Knesset list on Monday evening, presenting a list of familiar names with few surprises. While some in the party vowed to fight the new list, which was drawn up Sunday night by the party's organizing committee and approved by the party's central committee on Monday, it will likely be the one contending for votes on in February 10. The first two slots had been reserved for party chairman MK Avigdor Lieberman and former Likud MK Uzi Landau. But the most famous name besides Landau to join the party in recent weeks, former ambassador to the US Danny Ayalon, was placed only seventh. Though he will likely make it into the Knesset, this slot almost assures he will not get a cabinet post or Knesset committee chairmanship. Current MKs Lia Shemtov and Alex Miller also suffered on the new list, falling to 14 and 15 respectively, considered unrealistic to a party polling at between 10 and 12 seats. One remarkable addition to the far-right party is Hamed Amer, who is Druse, at No. 12. MK Stas Misezhnikov is the third slot, the highest position that was up for grabs. Then come former tourism minister and deputy police commissioner MK Yitzhak Aharonovitch and MK Sofa Landver, the highest-ranked woman on the list. After Landver is former model and actress Orly Levy, the daughter of former foreign minister David Levy. She is followed by Ayalon, MK David Rotem and, in the ninth slot, television news anchor Anastasia Michaeli. Michaeli joined the party Sunday after earning a low slot on the Kadima list. A convert to Judaism and former model who immigrated to Israel in 1997, she anchored a Channel 9 news program and is considered among the most popular Russian-language news anchors in Israel. She is pregnant with her eighth child. Next in line at 10 and 11, are two senior party officials, its director-general Faina Kirschenbaum and its Knesset faction chairman MK Robert Ilatov. Twelfth is Amer and 13th is the former chairman of the IDF Disabled Veterans Association, Moshe Matalon. Though the party did not reserve slots for women, minorities or regions, seven women placed in its top 20 (four in the realistic top 12), and a Druse at 12. Three of its 11 MKs in the outgoing Knesset are women. MK Esterina Tartman, the subject of a scandal last year when it was revealed she had embellished her academic qualifications on her Knesset resume, did not make it onto the list despite presenting her candidacy.