Israel’s Central Elections Committee began accepting party lists Monday for the next Knesset, with former prime minister Naftali Bennett’s Beyachad party becoming the first to formally submit its slate.
Party representatives are required to present their candidate lists to committee chairman Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, along with the party name and the letters they want displayed on their ballot slips. The committee said each submission will then undergo the legally required review process.
Israel election filing begins as parties submit slates | Live from Knesset
Beyachad representatives Merav Cohen, Bruria Naim and Jeremy Saltan requested the letter B (ב) for the party’s ballot slip, with the letters Rak (רק) submitted as an alternative.
The letter B (ב) has historically been associated with the National Religious Party and successive Religious Zionist parties. In the previous election, Ayelet Shaked’s Jewish Home party ran under the same letter.
Advance registration for filing slots opened Sunday. Beginning at 1 p.m. Monday, several other parties are expected to submit their lists, including The Reservists, led by Yoaz Hendel; Yashar!, led by former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot; and Amcha Israel, headed by former senior IDF officer Ofer Winter.
Shas and Otzma Yehudit are among the other parties that have already registered for submission slots, although it remains unclear whether they will formally file their lists Monday.
Most of the remaining parties have yet to register and are therefore expected to submit their slates Tuesday beginning at 4 p.m. The filing process is scheduled to continue until midnight.