2026 Israeli Elections

Israeli voters have strikingly little say - a 'semi-open ballot' reform can help - opinion

Israel’s electoral system gives voters remarkably little say. A modest reform could bring them closer to the politicians they elect

|ByASSAF SHAPIRA
Israeli citizens have fewer opportunities to vote, in fewer democratic arenas, than citizens of any other developed democracy.Premium
The launch of the new Amcha Yisrael party, led by Ofer Winter, ahead of the upcoming Israeli general elections, in Jerusalem, August 25, 2026.

Coalition strengthens as People of Israel crosses threshold, despite Likud dropping one seat - poll

The poll also found that after the previous survey showed the Reservists and Economic party crossing the threshold while Ofer Winter’s party did not, the two have now switched roles.

|ByMOSHE COHEN
Shas leader MK Arye Deri (L) and United Torah Judaism leader MK Ya’akov Asher.

Israel Election 2026: What do Arye Deri's Shas and Yaakov Asher's United Torah Judaism stand for?

"If I put this ballot in the box, what government, policies, and political reality am I helping create?"

|BySHIR PERETS
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir leads Otzma Yehudit faction meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem on May 25, 2026.

Ben-Gvir sues Eisenkot for NIS 100,000 over 'false attribution of incitement to killing, racism'

According to the lawsuit, Eisenkot described videos containing messages such as "the only way is to kill" and "a good Arab is a dead Arab."

|BySHIR PERETS

'When I say clueless, we were clueless': How olim navigate Israeli politics during elections

As olim prepare to vote for the first time, many are navigating Israel’s political system alone

AUGUST 31, 2026ByCHANI KAPLAN
Many new immigrants will approach Israel’s October 27 election without having grown up inside the country’s political system, leaving many to navigate the parties and candidates largely on their own.
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Israel's most consequential election looms, three years after October 7 - from the editor

Israel heads toward a high-stakes election after three years of war, with Netanyahu’s leadership at the center of the vote

AUGUST 31, 2026ByRUTH MARKS EGLASH
Israel’s election campaign is gathering pace, with the country’s political parties competing over the questions of security, leadership and the direction Israel takes after three years of war.

WATCH: Likud compares anti-Netanyahu campaigners to school bullies in new election video

The campaign video's release comes following a KAN News report on Wednesday that Netanyahu is struggling to win back the seats his party lost in recent polls.

AUGUST 30, 2026ByAARON GLICK
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu casts his ballot at his party Likud's main polling station during primary elections ahead of Israel's general election in October in Jerusalem on August 17, 2026; illustrative

Who owns Judaism? Israel must take it back from the religious establishment - opinion

Israelis have not abandoned Judaism. They are abandoning those who claim ownership over it.

AUGUST 29, 2026ByBATYA KAHANA-DROR
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish protesters demonstrate against a cafe operating on Shabbat, while secular protesters hold a counter-demonstration, in central Jerusalem, August 29, 2026

Israeli citizens abroad push to gain voting rights for upcoming elections

Israelis whom the government classifies as nonresidents are assigned a designation known as "Code 51" and removed from the voter registry, even though they retain their citizenship.

AUGUST 28, 2026ByNATASHA MOZGOVAYA/JTA
Members of the Likud party gather at a polling station for the primary elections of their party ahead of the country’s national elections, in Jerusalem on August 17, 2026.

From lost ship to new battleground: Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir using Altalena in election spat - analysis

Ben-Gvir publicized the find without informing Netanyahu or Defense Minister Israel Katz, surprising both men, a detail that quickly fed speculation about tensions between the coalition partners.

AUGUST 28, 2026ByDEBORAH DANAN/JTA
The search for the remains of the Altalena, published August 24, 2026.

As Winter fuels Netanyahu’s discontent, Israel's Right faces a new dilemma

POLITICAL AFFAIRS: Ofer Winter is betting Israelis want new leadership after October 7, while Netanyahu warns the new party could waste right-wing votes and weaken his bloc in the coming election.

AUGUST 28, 2026ByHERB KEINON
OFER WINTER attends the launch of the People of Israel party in Jerusalem on Tuesday. He can introduce individuals without political experience into his party because, after October 7, such candidates can say: ‘We did not create this mess. Give us a chance to clean it up.’

Winter's claimed support for Netanyahu overshadows his campaign, may siphon Likud voters - analysis

Winter is seeking to remove from the agenda the campaign portraying him as a risk to the right, as someone who could help replace Netanyahu or siphon votes away from the bloc.

AUGUST 28, 2026ByANNA BARSKY
The launch of the new Amcha Yisrael party, led by Ofer Winter, ahead of the upcoming Israeli general elections, in Jerusalem, August 25, 2026.

Ofer Winter, unification of Arab parties, shake up Knesset seats, push RZP below threshold - poll

The data shows that Winter’s entry has created greater complexity within the coalition bloc. Without him, the bloc led by Benjamin Netanyahu receives 43 seats, while with him it rises to 48 seats.

AUGUST 28, 2026ByMOSHE COHEN
The launch of the new People of Israel party, led by Ofer Winter, ahead of the upcoming Israeli general elections, in Jerusalem, August 25, 2026.

Exploring Bennett's security policy vision, belief that he can convince Egypt to fix Gaza standoff

SPECIAL PROFILE: Former prime minister Naftali Bennett lays out his security policy for Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, and Syria, were he to be elected prime minister, and how he would differ from Netanyahu.

AUGUST 27, 2026ByYONAH JEREMY BOB
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett.