Eisenkot submits final Yashar list, former Shin Bet chief Cohen receives number two spot

SEPTEMBER 7, 2026 15:27Updated: SEPTEMBER 7, 2026 16:09Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot released his selection of candidates for his Knesset slate on Monday, as the party submitted its list at the Knesset ahead of the October elections. Second on the party’s list is former Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) chief Yoram Cohen. Cohen was appointed head of the Shin Bet in 2011, a role he held for five years until 2016. He had previously served as deputy head of the agency and was involved in numerous operations and counterterrorism efforts.Third on the party’s list is former minister and Blue and White MK Orit Farkash-Hacohen, and fourth is Israel Prize winner and social entrepreneur Adi Altschuler, both of whom join the approximately 50% of the list that is female.Fifth is former minister and Blue and White MK Matan Kahana, while sixth is Zionist Home chairman Chili Tropper.The Yashar party candidate selections for the October 2026 elections. (credit: Yashar party)Other names on the list include economist Shaul Meridor in seventh, former Labor Ministry director-general Tair Ifergan in eighth, Osherat Ganei Gonen in ninth, and Shira Shapira, the mother of murdered October 7 victim Aner Shapir in tenth.List submitted ahead of deadlineThe party submitted the list to the Central Elections Committee ahead of Tuesday's deadline, by which all parties must do so.Eisenkot’s Yashar party has recently led most polls and is part of the opposition bloc seeking to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the upcoming elections.Yashar released the first 40 candidates on its list. Recent polls project the party to receive about 23 seats, making the first half of the list likely to enter the Knesset.Aaron Glick contributed to this report.Follow us on Google