Tel Aviv Mayor Huldai Slams Gantz for Netanyahu Partnership, Promises Gender-balanced Party

Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai announced on Tuesday that four women have joined his party ahead of Israel’s March 23 election, and told Israelis who voted for Kahol Lavan: “You aren’t the ones who were wrong, but your leader,” referring to Benny Gantz’s decision to join a unity government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which collapsed last month, sending voters to the polls for the fourth time in two years.

“We aspire to have 50 percent women on our Knesset slate and in professional positions,” Huldai said at a press conference.

The four new members of Huldai’s The Israelis party are information scientist Prof. Karine Nahon, educator Karen Tal, Adi Tzabari, who serves as the general director of Tel Aviv’s municipal education and culture company, and former Kahol Lavan lawmaker Einav Kabla. Huldai did not say at this point how high in the list they’ll be placed.

Kahol Lavan MK Kabla marks the ninth departure from Gantz’s fraying party. On Tuesday, Social Equality Minister Meirav Cohen left the party to join Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid, with other key departures including former Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi. 

Regarding the departure, Kahol Lavan released a statement saying that their approach “prevented annexation, the closure of the courts, the undermining of democracy, and [provided] a unity government in a time of health, economic and social crisis. The approach of the Israelis will prevent Tel Aviv from having a full-time mayor.”

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Upon unveiling his new party, the Israelis, Huldai said: "We will not get used to a prime minister under indictments," Huldai said at a press conference. "We will not get used to a constant threat to the system of law enforcement. I have decided that I can no longer stand on the sidelines."

Huldai said the party's principles include preserving the country's Jewish majority, ensuring Israel's security, building emergency rooms in the so-called periphery, and a broad coalition.