Party Profile: Yisrael Beytenu (Avigdor Liberman)
Profile of Yisrael Beytenu, the secular hawkish party led by Avigdor Liberman, covering its list, platform and swing role in the election math.
Yisrael Beytenu, a secular hawkish party led by Avigdor Liberman since 1999, averaged 8.1 seats in polls from 24 September to 7 October 2026. It rules out Haredi parties, Arab parties and serving under Netanyahu. This profile covers its list and platform.
Who they are
Yisrael Beytenu is a secular, hawkish, right-wing party led since its founding in 1999 by Avigdor Liberman, who is about 68. It built its base among Russian-speaking Israelis and now pulls a wider group of secular voters who want an end to Haredi draft exemptions.
| Leader | Avigdor Liberman |
| Ballot letter | ל (Lamed) |
| Poll average (24 Sep to 7 Oct) | 8.1 seats |
| Camp | Zionist opposition (right flank) |
| Space | Secular, hawkish, anti-Haredi-exemption |
| Coalition stance | No Haredi parties, no Arab parties, will not serve under Netanyahu |
Liberman is the opposition's right wing. He wants a government of Likud's rivals plus the center, without the Haredim and without the Arab parties. That position makes him a key swing vote in the election math. See the Election Math article.
The list: who is likely to get in
At 8.1 seats, the top eight are safe on the polls. Dan Illouz at 10 is within reach if the party gains a seat or two.
| # | Name | Age |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avigdor Liberman | about 68 |
| 2 | Rafi Ben Shitrit | n/a |
| 3 | Talia Lankri | n/a |
| 4 | Oded Forer | 49 |
| 5 | Yulia Malinovsky | 51 |
| 6 | Sharon Sharabi | n/a |
| 7 | Hamad Amar | 61 |
| 8 | Evgeny Sova | 46 |
| 9 | Elvira Kolikhman | n/a |
| 10 | Dan Illouz | 40 |
| 11 | Lili Ben Ami | n/a |
| 12 | Yael Benbenishti | n/a |
| 13 | David Azulay | n/a |
| 14 | Limor Magen Telem | n/a |
| 15 | Israel Ben Shitrit | n/a |
Avigdor Liberman (1). Founder and only leader. A former defense minister and former finance minister. He is known for blunt language and for refusing to sit with Netanyahu since 2019. His red lines are the Haredi parties and the Arab parties.
Oded Forer (4). A long-time party figure and former minister. He is one of Liberman's closest aides.
Yulia Malinovsky (5). A sitting MK from the party's Russian-speaking base.
Hamad Amar (7). A Druze MK. He is the party's face in the Druze community and has pushed for Druze rights and the nation-state law.
Evgeny Sova (8). A sitting MK and a close ally of Liberman.
Dan Illouz (10). The newest big name. A Canadian-born lawyer and a former Likud MK. He left Likud in July 2026, resigned from the Knesset on 11 Aug and joined Liberman. He is 40. His arrival signals that the party is courting disaffected Likud voters.
Others on the list. Rafi Ben Shitrit (2), Talia Lankri (3), Sharon Sharabi (6), Elvira Kolikhman (9) and the remaining names have thinner public profiles. I could not verify detailed bios for them.
Note: check the final list against the Central Elections Committee publication.
Platform and coalition plans
| Issue | Position |
|---|---|
| Draft | Everyone serves. No blanket exemptions. |
| Religion and state | Secular line: public transport, civil marriage, conversion. |
| Security | Hawkish. |
| Coalition | No Haredi parties. No Arab parties. Will not serve under Netanyahu. |
Liberman wants a broad Zionist government made of the opposition and the center. His ban on both the Haredim and the Arab parties limits the math. For a Zionist-only coalition to reach 61 without Likud's allies, the opposition needs roughly 61 seats from its own camp. That is why his seat count matters beyond his own party.
Sources: Party list filings (Central Elections Committee); Israeli media poll tracking, 24 Sept to 7 Oct; press coverage of Dan Illouz's move, July and Aug 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Who leads Yisrael Beytenu?
Avigdor Liberman, about 68, founded the party in 1999 and has led it since. Rafi Ben Shitrit is number 2. Dan Illouz, a former Likud MK, joined after resigning from the Knesset on 11 August.
What is Yisrael Beytenu's ballot letter?
Yisrael Beytenu's ballot letter is Lamed (ל). Avigdor Liberman leads the list, Rafi Ben Shitrit is number 2 and Talia Lankri is number 3. The party averages 8.1 seats in polls.
How many seats is Yisrael Beytenu polling?
It averaged 8.1 seats in polls from 24 September to 7 October. At that level the top eight names are safe, and Dan Illouz at number 10 is within reach if the party gains a seat or two.
Who will Liberman sit with?
Liberman wants a broad Zionist government of the opposition and the center. He rules out Haredi parties and Arab parties, and says he will not serve under Netanyahu.
Cite this page: The Israel Gazette. “Party Profile: Yisrael Beytenu (Avigdor Liberman).” Updated 9 October 2026. https://israelgazette.com/election/party-profile-yisrael-beytenu-avigdor-liberman/