Party Profile: Israel First (Haskel)
Profile of Sharren Haskel's new Israel First party, which polls below the threshold, with its list, platform and coalition stance.
Israel First is a new party led by Sharren Haskel, a former deputy foreign minister who quit on 14 July 2026 over the law freezing draft arrests. It polls below the threshold, at 0.6% to about 1%. This profile covers its list, platform and coalition stance.
Who they are
Israel First is a new party led by Sharren Haskel, a former Likud MK who moved to Gideon Sa'ar's New Hope in late 2020 and later served as deputy foreign minister. She quit that post on 14 July 2026 to protest the law freezing arrests and prosecutions of Haredi draft dodgers, and announced the party the next day.
| Leader | Sharren Haskel |
| Ballot letter | י (Yud) |
| Polling | Below the threshold. Cited at 0.6% (Maariv) and about 1% (Haskel's own cited poll) |
| Camp | Unaligned, right of center |
| Space | Liberal, statesmanlike right: equal service, free market, hard security line |
| Coalition stance | Zionist government only, no reliance on Haredi or Arab parties |
Haskel says she is not running for prime minister. She wants enough seats to stop either bloc from forming a government without her.
She had talked with Yuli Edelstein and Gilad Erdan about a joint party, then went alone when she found them indecisive. Talks with Erdan, Yoaz Hendel and Chili Tropper also produced no alliance. Edelstein and Erdan later launched their own party, called Unity, in August. That party is not yet profiled in this series.
The party has a tie-up with Ale Yarok, the cannabis legalization party. Haskel wants it to focus on PTSD treatment as well as cannabis.
The list: who is likely to get in
Nobody, on current polls. The party filed its list around 7 Sept. Only a few names are public, and I could not confirm the full order.
Sharren Haskel (1). Party leader. A former Border Police fighter who entered the Knesset in 2015 as a Likud MK. She joined New Hope in late 2020 and later became deputy foreign minister. She says Likud drifted from its founding values, and that she felt "politically homeless" after the Likud and New Hope merger in 2025. She is also entangled in a legal fight. She filed an affidavit about a Likud and New Hope vote-filming instruction, which led to a perjury investigation. She declined to comment on it. She also lost a High Court petition over the stalled merger.
Jonathan Pollard. The best-known recruit. A former US Navy civilian intelligence analyst who spent 30 years in a US prison for passing classified information to Israel. He was released on 20 Nov 2015. He brings publicity and baggage. Haskel rejects his proposal to remove Gaza's Palestinian population. Reports differ on whether he is a candidate or a campaigner, so treat his list status as unconfirmed.
Lt. Col. (Res.) Roi Danino. Described as the party's first prominent recruit. He has served more than 600 days of reserve duty during the war. His list status is unconfirmed.
The party says it will add candidates with senior military backgrounds before 27 Oct.
Note: check the list against the Central Elections Committee publication.
Platform and coalition plans
| Issue | Position |
|---|---|
| Draft | Equal service. End Haredi deferments. |
| Entry conditions | "Border yeshivas" that mix study with security duty, and limits on benefits and public-sector pay for people who did not serve |
| Economy | Economic liberalism |
| Security | Strong. First priority is destroying and disarming Hamas. |
| Coalition | Zionist government. No reliance on Haredi or Arab parties. Rules out Yair Golan. No blanket boycott of Ben-Gvir or Smotrich. |
The pitch is for "politically homeless" voters on the liberal right. Haskel says she will stay in the race to Election Day and that the party will cross the threshold. The polls say otherwise. At 0.6% to about 1%, she needs more than three times that. Votes for her are lost if she falls short. See the Election Math article.
Sources: Times of Israel, 25 Aug 2026; Israel National News, 7 Sept 2026; The Media Line, 25 Aug 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Who leads Israel First?
Sharren Haskel, a former Likud MK who moved to Gideon Sa'ar's New Hope in late 2020, leads Israel First. She quit as deputy foreign minister on 14 July 2026 and announced the party the next day.
What is Israel First's ballot letter?
Israel First's ballot letter is Yud (י). The party filed its list around 7 September, and only a few names are public. Jonathan Pollard and Lt. Col. (Res.) Roi Danino are named recruits, but their list status is unconfirmed.
Is Israel First polling above the threshold?
No. It is cited at 0.6% by Maariv and about 1% in a poll Haskel cites. The threshold is 3.25%, so the page says she needs more than three times that. Votes are lost if she falls short.
What is Israel First's coalition stance?
Haskel wants a Zionist government with no reliance on Haredi or Arab parties. She rules out Yair Golan but has no blanket boycott of Ben-Gvir or Smotrich. The party is unaligned and right of center.
Cite this page: The Israel Gazette. “Party Profile: Israel First (Haskel).” Updated 9 October 2026. https://israelgazette.com/election/party-profile-israel-first-haskel/