Diplomat runs on B'Yachad list 21

Esti Ayalon Kovo is competing for the 21st position on the B'Yachad list in the upcoming 2026 Knesset elections. The party is led by Naftali Bennett. Ayalon Kovo argues that the specific economic and social fractures observed in Jerusalem are now becoming a pattern across the country.

Born in Ethiopia before immigrating to Israel, she previously served as the head of the country's Economic Mission in China. She noted that her interest in diplomacy began in childhood with a desire to represent Israel globally. She later found the field's complexity appealing. Her move to Jerusalem was personal. Her children were accepted to a local school, and the family settled in the Beit Hakerem neighborhood. She described the area as special and stated that she could not imagine living anywhere else.

Ayalon Kovo identified a lack of responsible leadership as the primary campaign issue. She linked this deficiency to recent failures, including the events of October 7 and the flydubai hijacking. She also named the preservation of Israel as a liberal, Zionist, Jewish, and democratic state as the second defining challenge. On that front, she argued that the haredi state-within-a-state, which has formed around military enlistment, education, and workforce participation, must be dismantled. She warned that if this enclave is not broken up, the economic and educational trends seen in Jerusalem will spread nationwide.

The former diplomat said her motivation is her children's future. She stated that the country needs immediate repair, effective governance, and thorough plans for basic challenges. She believes Bennett is the only figure who can deliver those outcomes. B'Yachad is open to candidates who want change and repair after what she described as difficult recent years.

In an interview conducted in Jerusalem, Ayalon Kovo addressed olim who wish to influence public life. She urged them to take an active part in shaping the country rather than watching it unfold. "You didn't come here to sit back and watch Israel's story unfold," she said. "This is your country. Your home." She described getting involved in elections as a starting point.

The B'Yachad list seeks to address what Ayalon Kovo views as a widening gap between powerful haredi interests and other residents. She believes the current political structure has allowed this divide to grow. Her campaign focuses on breaking that cycle before it becomes entrenched across the entire nation.