Democracy

How to vote in Israel: A guide for the first-time voter ahead of the Knesset elections - explainer

From finding your polling station to choosing the right ballot slip, here's everything voters in Israel need to know ahead of the big day.

Ballot papers of various political parties are displayed at the Central Elections Committee warehouse in Shoham, ahead of Israel’s upcoming general elections, October 14, 2026
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett on October 13, 2026.

Naftali Bennett unveils B’Yachad party plan to cut bureaucracy, boost support for olim

 A man casts his vote in the Israeli general elections, at a polling station in Jerusalem, on November 1, 2022.

Israel, US elections demand accountability, not blind loyalty - opinion

Ayal Marek President ARZA Australia

The reality check we can no longer ignore: Why saving our democracy is up to all of us


India at 80: Young, progressive, and forging a special partnership with Israel - opinion

The journey has been extraordinary. The destination is still ahead-and the India-Israel partnership can be a relevant force in helping shape what comes next.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet in Jerusalem, February 26, 2026.

Israel is undermining election oversight without a state comptroller - opinion

Despite a clear and binding court order, the election process has not been completed, leaving the country’s supreme audit institution without a head.

Israeli State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman attends the Herzliya conference at the Reichman University in Herzliya, June 30, 2026.

I do not want Israel to have a Zionist government. It needs a democratic one - opinion

The next government should be formed by every party – Jewish or Arab – that accepts a common democratic platform.

 President Isaac Herzog poses with the 37th government of Israel, December 29, 2022.

Yair Golan isn’t democracy’s defender if he neglects its norms – opinion

The leader of the Democrats Party needs to show a willingness to include those who oppose him if he wishes to uphold his motto

hDemocrats Party chair Yair Golan speaks to the press in Tel Aviv in July 2026.

Driving democracy to the ground: Don't make it harder for Israelis abroad to vote – opinion

If Diaspora Jews are called back to serve in the IDF when war breaks out, the same logic should apply when Israeli elections near – they should return to vote for their country

 A man casts his vote in the Israeli general elections, at a polling station in Jerusalem, on November 1, 2022.

Israel needs new leadership: Could covenantal politics be the answer? - opinion

Israel’s significant integration into the world economy, our population growth, and economic progress made it possible for us to pick up some bad habits of the countries it wanted to emulate.

People at polling station during the Likud party internal elections in Tel Aviv, July 27, 2026.

Mahmoud Abbas's election promise won't bring democracy to Palestinians - opinion

It would be naïve to assume that Mahmoud Abbas’ announcement of elections is a sign of democratization

PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah (L) and Hamas politburo member Khalil al-Hayya.

A 'unity' government would block the reforms Israel desperately needs - opinion

Benny Gantz should heed his favorite slogan that saving the country is the most important thing of all, abandoning the naive notion of unity that will saddle the state with more Likud years

OPPOSITION LEADER Yair Lapid and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett attend an election event for the joint list “Together” ahead of the upcoming elections, in Tel Aviv, central Israel, May 12, 2026.

Under Netanyahu, Meir Kahane’s doctrine has contaminated Likud - opinion

The Left convinced themselves and others that the gun tucked into Arafat's belt would no longer be used for killing, that he now carried an olive branch, and that he had abandoned his grand vision...

 Rabbi Meir Kahane at a New York news conference, Aug. 31, 1984.

What would Menachem Begin say about democracy’s state in today’s Likud? - editorial

As Likud faces an internal battle over primaries and party control, questions are emerging over whether the movement remains true to Menachem Begin’s democratic vision.

 BENJAMIN NETANYAHU walks in front of a poster of Menachem Begin at the Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem.