National Unity (Israel)

Israeli electoral alliance

National Unity

המחנה הממלכתי

Leader| Benny Gantz
Founders| Benny Gantz
Gideon Sa'ar
Gadi Eisenkot
Matan Kahana
Founded| 14 August 2022
Dissolved| 7 July 2025[citation needed]
Ideology| Zionism
Political position| Centre[1] to centre-right[2][3]
Member parties| See list of members
Colours|  Blue
White
Election symbol

ك‌ن
Website
machane.org.il

* Politics of Israel
* Political parties
* Elections

National Unity or State Camp (Hebrew: המחנה הממלכתי, romanized: HaMahane HaMamlakhti)[4] was an Israeli political alliance initially made up of former IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz's Blue and White, Gideon Sa'ar's New Hope, as well as independents Gadi Eizenkot (who served as the former IDF Chief of Staff) and Matan Kahana.

The alliance was created to participate in the 2022 Israeli legislative election. It had been part of the Thirty-seventh government of Israel, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, from October 2023 to June 2024. The New Hope party left the alliance in March 2024.

## History

[edit]

Ballot paper used by the National Unity Party during the 2022 election

Gantz and Sa'ar announced an alliance between their two parties on 10 July,[5] which was initially called Blue and White The New Hope.[6] The alliance was joined by former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot and former Yamina MK Matan Kahana on 14 August, at which point it was renamed the National Unity Party.[7] Yamina MK Shirly Pinto joined the party on 22 August.[8] The alliance won 12 seats in the election.[9]

Five members of the party (Benny Gantz, Gadi Eizenkot, Gideon Sa'ar, Hili Tropper and Yifat Shasha-Biton) joined the Thirty-seventh government of Israel as ministers without portfolio in October 2023, following the outbreak of the Gaza war; Gantz and Eisenkot also joined the Israeli war cabinet.[10] Sa'ar announced on 12 March 2024 that New Hope would leave the National Unity alliance, and again become an independent faction.[11] The split was approved the next day.[12]

On 18 May, Gantz set an 8 June deadline for a "clear plan of action" regarding the war; if not met, his party would leave the coalition.[13] His party also filed a bill on 30 May 2024 to dissolve the Knesset.[14] The scheduled announcement was postponed, after the 2024 Nuseirat rescue operation was made the same day.[15] Gantz announced on 9 June that he had exited the government,[16] with other party members also submitting their resignations the same night.[17]

Following the July 2025 exits of Eizenkot and Kahana from the alliance, it was announced on 2 July 2025 that the name of the party would revert to Blue and White.[18] The name of the Knesset faction was changed to Blue and White-National Unity and was approved by the Knesset House Committee on 7 July 2025.[19]

## Composition

[edit]

Name  | Ideology  | Position  | Leader  | 25th Knesset

|
|
|
|

| Blue and White | Liberal Zionism | Centre | Benny Gantz |

6 / 120

| New Hope (2022–2024)  | National liberalism
Zionism | Centre-right to right-wing | Gideon Sa'ar |

4 / 120

| Independents |  |  | Gadi Eisenkot
Matan Kahana |

2 / 120

## Knesset members

[edit]

Knesset term  | Seats  | Members

|
|

2022–2024  | 12  | Benny Gantz, Gideon Sa'ar, Gadi Eisenkot, Pnina Tamano-Shata, Yifat Shasha-Biton, Hili Tropper, Ze’ev Elkin, Michael Biton, Matan Kahana, Orit Farkash-Hacohen, Sharren Haskel, Alon Schuster
2024–2025  | 8  | Benny Gantz, Gadi Eisenkot (replaced by Eitan Ginzburg), Pnina Tamano-Shata, Hili Tropper, Michael Biton, Matan Kahana (replaced by Yael Ron Ben-Moshe), Orit Farkash-Hacohen, Alon Schuster

## Leaders

[edit]

Leader  | Took office  | Left office

|
|

|  | Benny Gantz | 2022  | 2025

## Knesset election results

[edit]

Election  | Leader  | Votes  | %  | Seats  | +/–  | Status

|
|
|
|
|
|

2022 | Benny Gantz | 432,376  | 9.08  |

12 / 120

| New  | Opposition (2022–Oct 2023)
Coalition (Oct 2023–June 2024)
Opposition (June 2024–)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Israeli Elections and Parties". Israel Democracy Institute. 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024. "The National Unity Party (HaMachane HaMamlakhti) is a centrist Zionist electoral list established in the run-up to the 2022 elections."
2. ^ "Poll: Gantz restores lead as Netanyahu loses post-Gaza war bump". The Times of Israel. 30 May 2023. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023. "Benny Gantz's center-right National Unity party has restored its lead over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud"
3. ^ "Israel elections: Outgoing PM Lapid congratulates Netanyahu on victory". BBC News. 3 November 2022. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
4. ^ Keller-Lynn, Carrie (14 August 2022). "Ex-IDF chief Eisenkot, former Yamina minister Kahana join Gantz-led 'National Unity'". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 31 October 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
5. ^ Azulai, Moran; Karni, Yuval (10 July 2022). "In political partnership Gantz, Sa'ar aim for unity government". Ynet. Archived from the original on 31 October 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
6. ^ Keller-Lynn, Carrie (25 July 2022). "100 days out from election, campaign ads battle for soft-right voters". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 15 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
7. ^ Staff writer; Eliav Breuer (14 August 2022). "Eisenkot joins Gantz, Sa'ar in National Unity Party". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
8. ^ "Israel Elections: Shirely Pinto leaves Zionist Spirit for Gantz's National Unity". The Jerusalem Post. 22 August 2022. Archived from the original on 22 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
9. ^ "Election 2022: Final results announced with Netanyahu receiving 32 seats". The Jerusalem Post. 3 November 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
10. ^ Keller-Lynn, Carrie (12 October 2023). "Knesset okays war cabinet; PM: Saturday 'most horrible day for Jews since Holocaust". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
11. ^ Sokol, Sam (12 March 2024). "Sa'ar splits from Gantz's National Unity party, demands seat in war cabinet". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
12. ^ Breuer, Eliav (13 March 2024). "Benny Gantz on Gideon Sa'ar breaking away: Not the time for politics". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
13. ^ Berman, Lazar; writer, Staff (19 May 2024). "Gantz sets June 8 deadline for PM to make post-war plan, or he'll bolt coalition". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
14. ^ Sokol, Sam (30 May 2024). "Still in coalition, Gantz's National Unity party files bill to dissolve Knesset". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
15. ^ Berman, Lazar (8 June 2024). "Netanyahu urges Gantz not to bolt government in wake of successful hostage rescue". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
16. ^ Young, Eve; Lazaroff, Tovah (9 June 2024). "Benny Gantz resigns from wartime government". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
17. ^ Sokol, Sam (9 June 2024). "Urging elections, Gantz quits wartime government, accuses PM of botching war effort". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
18. ^ Staff writer (1 July 2025). "'We are all Blue and White': Gantz reverts National Unity party name after Eisenkot departure". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
19. ^ "Knesset panel approves changing name of Gantz's party to Blue and White-National Unity". The Times of Israel. 7 July 2025. Retrieved 4 August 2025.

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