Aliza Bloch Joins Gilad Erdan's Party
The party aims for the former mayor of Beit Shemesh, considered a consensus figure, to attract undecided voters and help forge alliances within the "third bloc." Bloch is the first to join the former minister, who is currently not passing the electoral threshold in polls.
Former Beit Shemesh mayor Aliza Bloch has decided to join Gilad Erdan's new party. Bloch, who had considered numerous offers from figures in the "third bloc," accepted the proposal from Erdan and his partner Yuli Edelstein to join the party's list, becoming the first figure to do so.
Bloch, 58, managed to cause a local sensation in 2018 when she won the mayoral election in Beit Shemesh against all predictions. She became the first woman to head the mixed city, unseating the incumbent mayor from Shas, Moshe Abutbul. However, after only one turbulent term—during which she became a well-known figure on the national level as well—Bloch lost to Shmuel Greenberg of Degel HaTorah.
Bloch is considered a highly sought-after figure in the "third bloc" as someone who knew how to manage a predominantly ultra-Orthodox city as a religious Zionist woman, and who could lead to major alliances on the national political level. Additionally, she is considered a consensus figure in Israel and, unlike most figures who do not head parties, may attract undecided voters.
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Bloch's move marks a significant victory for Gilad Erdan, who is succeeding in gathering prominent figures of the "third bloc" under his leadership, thereby pressuring other players to join him. Last week, it was reported in "HaYom" that the Likud party had offered Bloch a reserved spot on their list to prevent her from joining Erdan.
Meanwhile, the polling situation for Erdan's party and the "HaBayit HaTzioni - HaMiluimnikim" party is not encouraging, as both are failing to pass the electoral threshold, alongside Benny Gantz and Dadi Simhi's Blue and White party. The assessment is that eventually, the figures of the "third bloc" will converge into a single party, out of the understanding that if they run separately, none of the parties will pass the electoral threshold.
