CampaignGur Hasidim weigh whether to tell their voters to vote
Ynet reports that Gur, the largest Hasidic group in Israel and the leading force in Agudat Yisrael, is considering whether to call on its roughly 30,000 eligible voters to vote at all. It had issued no call as of Wednesday, and its bulletin did not mention the election. The dispute comes from the split inside Agudat Yisrael. Meir Porush and Elyakim Stark left it shortly before the lists were filed and formed their own faction on the United Torah Judaism slate. Gur's own representative is second on the list.
DealsBen-Gvir will not sign a surplus-vote deal with Winter
Ynet reports that Itamar Ben-Gvir announced he will not sign a surplus-vote agreement with Ofer Winter's Amcha Yisrael. Otzma Yehudit will run without one. Surplus agreements let two parties pool leftover votes, which can decide one seat.
List changesAnother candidate leaves Winter's list
A candidate on the Amcha Yisrael list announced a withdrawal. Ynet says the reasons were pressure and falling poll numbers. Walla reports that the party started a round of talks on Wednesday, a day after the retirement.
PollsChannel 13 poll: Likud at 18, Winter and Hendel clear the line
A Channel 13 News poll puts Likud at 18 seats. It has both Ofer Winter's Amcha Yisrael and Yoav Hendel's Reservists-Economic Party above the 3.25% threshold. Single polls swing a lot near the line, so read it next to the average on the poll tracker.
CampaignEisenkot's camp asks for Gantz's polling-station slots
Ynet reports that people around Gadi Eisenkot are asking for the polling-station committee slots that belong to Benny Gantz's Blue and White. They fear the slots would otherwise go to Netanyahu's bloc. Each party fills committee seats at the ballot boxes with its own people.
CoalitionHendel fears a "just not Bibi" bloc that sits with the Haredim
Yoav Hendel said he worries the change bloc will end up in a government with the Haredi parties under the banner of "anyone but Bibi."
LogisticsElection committee warns about AI chatbots
The Central Elections Committee's acting director said AI chatbots could influence the vote. He urged tech companies not to give voting recommendations.
CampaignTrump on backing a candidate in Israel: "Maybe I will do something"
Asked whether he would support a candidate in the Israeli election, Donald Trump said he had not thought about it and added, "Maybe I'll do something."