Senior figures on Israel’s political right are holding quiet talks on forming a new “statesmanlike” right-wing party that could reshape the next election, N12 reported on Friday night.
The initiative, informally described as “Likud B,” is being advanced by right-wing figures, many of whom have had strained relations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the report. The stated goal is to help create a broad government without extremist parties, amid polls showing no decisive shift between Israel’s political blocs.
Among the names raised in connection with the talks are Likud MK Yuli Edelstein, former finance minister Moshe Kahlon, Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel, and former UN ambassador and minister Gilad Erdan, N12 reported. The group has reportedly reached initial understandings on the basic principles of the new political framework.
The emerging party would not position itself as an automatic “extra vote” for either of Israel’s current political camps, according to the report. It would not be committed in advance to Netanyahu’s bloc, nor to a potential alliance led by Naftali Bennett or Gadi Eisenkot.
Israel's Right considers forming an alternative to Likud
Despite agreement on the desired character of a future government, the initiative faces a central difficulty: who would be its candidate for prime minister. Some involved in the talks reportedly favor Bennett or Eisenkot, while others still prefer Netanyahu.
That unresolved question could make it harder for voters to understand the new party’s purpose, the report said. Erdan is seen as a key figure, with political sources assessing that he is weighing whether to join the initiative or keep his options open for a future Likud leadership race after Netanyahu.
This report comes after a recent Maariv poll found that Likud lost its position as Israel's largest party. Notably, for the first time since June 26, 2025, Likud and Naftali Bennett’s party, Bennett 2026, are running neck and neck.