Jerusalem Split: B'Yachad Candidate Predicts National Economic Crisis

A Jerusalem resident warns that local economic divides are becoming a national crisis.

Esti Ayalon Kovo, formerly the head of Israel's Economic Mission in China, is running for the 21st position on the B'Yachad party list. The list is led by Naftali Bennett in the upcoming 2026 Knesset elections. Ayalon Kovo states that the social and economic challenges visible in Jerusalem are now appearing across the country.

The candidate cites a specific conflict of interest between the powerful Haredi community and other residents in Jerusalem. She argues that this dynamic serves as a model for a developing national trend. Her background includes being born in Ethiopia before immigrating to Israel. She currently lives in the Beit Hakerem neighborhood with her family, a move she made after her children were accepted to a local school.

Ayalon Kovo identifies two central issues for the campaign. The first is a lack of leadership that takes responsibility for past failures, specifically citing the events of October 7 and the Flydubai hijacking. The second is preserving the state as liberal, Zionist, Jewish, and democratic. She believes that effective governance and thorough planning for basic challenges are currently missing.

To achieve these goals, Ayalon Kovo says the party must dismantle what she calls a Haredi state-within-a-state. This structure has emerged around military enlistment, education, and workforce participation. She fears that if this structure remains intact, the troubling economic and educational trends seen in Jerusalem will spread to the rest of the country. She positions Bennett as the only figure capable of delivering the necessary repair.

Born in Ethiopia, Ayalon Kovo describes her early desire to represent Israel globally as the start of her diplomatic path. She was later drawn to the complexity of the field. Her primary motivation for entering the race is her children's future. "More than anything, I'm in this for my children," she said. She argues the country needs immediate and serious repair.

Addressing immigrants, or olim, who wish to influence public life, Ayalon Kovo urges them to take an active part in shaping the country. "You didn't come here to sit back and watch Israel's story unfold," she said. She describes getting involved in elections as a good starting point. B'Yachad is open to anyone seeking change after what she described as a difficult past few years.