Israel Elections 2026

Large share of Israelis prefer holding new elections if no coalition formed, IDI survey shows

Across demographics, Israelis are approaching October 27 with cautious optimism, according to a recent survey conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute.

Election campaign billboards featuring Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party are displayed along a roadside in the northern Israeli city of Haifa, October 17, 2026
BALLOT PAPERS of various political parties displayed at the Central Elections Committee warehouse in Shoham, Oct. 14.

Beyond the polls: What are Israelis really thinking as they head to the ballot box?

Fleur Hassan-Nahoum attends the FOZ Ambassadors Summit in Jerusalem, December 7, 2025.

From Jerusalem’s ‘foreign minister’ to Knesset hopeful, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum wants to make her mark

Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett are seen at a B'Yachad event.

Yair Lapid: The upcoming election is about what we want Israel to be - opinion


Middle Israel: Why Naftali Bennett should be Israel's next prime minister - opinion

Democratic election is about performance, but next Tuesday’s is about what happened once we faced war: how good, bad, or scandalous our leaders’ handling of the war’s home front challenges has been.

Knesset candidate Naftali Bennett's urge to bridge between religious and secular Israelis, and the right-wing Bennett's resolve to prevent Jewish terrorists' tinkering with civil war, are among the reasons the writer thinks he appeals as a potential prime minister.

Israel’s election is being cast as a historic showdown - but four trends tell a different story

POLITICAL AFFAIRS: From rivalries within political blocs to polls that shape voter choices and coalition red lines, four trends reveal the challenges facing Israel’s next government.

‘Politicians should leave room for compromise before the election, rather than making absolute promises they may have to abandon afterward for the good of the country.’ Will the challenge of building Israel’s next coalition government fall to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or Gadi Eisenkot?

Ben-Gvir to 'Post': Netanyahu should stand with me rather than Eisenkot -interview

“Netanyahu needs to stand with me on the Right and pursue a full, full right-wing government. Only that way will we be able to save the State of Israel," Ben-Gvir told the 'Post' in an interview.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir in the Jerusalem Post studio, October 21, 2026.

Editor's Notes: Israel's election exposes deep political divisions after Gantz withdrawal - comment

Here is my request, the only one I’ll make before the polls open. Give yourself permission to notice one thing that complicates your choice.

Benny Gantz visits the site of an Iranian missile strike in Beit Shemesh, March 2, 2026

Over 65,000 Israelis abroad estimated to travel to vote in 2026 elections, new Fly&Vote survey says

The results of the survey mark a clear jump from the previous estimate of 53,000 published at the start of October. 

Ballot box, Ben Gurion Airport.

Ahmad Tibi outlines plan to oust Netanyahu after elections if neither bloc forms majority

In a statement to the media, Tibi outlined what he described as practical steps to prevent the prime minister from continuing in office as head of a caretaker government.

MK Ahmad Tibi attends Hadash–Ta'al faction meeting, at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on June 29, 2026.

High Court blocks Likud-backed digital voter tracking at polling stations ahead of elections

The High Court rules 2-1 against real-time voter counting by political party representatives ahead of Israel's 2026 elections.

 An Israeli man walks with his son to cast his ballot on the day of Israel's general election in a polling station in Rahat, Israel November 1, 2022.

WATCH: Fueled by a life's mission, Netanyahu asks Israelis for time to 'finish the job' in Iran

Netanyahu to 'Post': I want five more terms • 'I'll form gov't with current coalition partners; Eisenkot ruled me out' • Trump's support 'surprised' PM, Israel must capitalize before tide turns in US

In a birthday interview beginning after 2 a.m.,  the prime minister made his case for another term.  We pressed him on Qatar, his trial, and the question  outlasting this election: What happens after Trump?

Hendel to 'Post': Reservists Party could decide Israel's next government - interview

The party, he explained, will only join a coalition of Zionist parties, and isn't ruling any of them out based on who is or isn't Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Yoaz Hendel of the Reservist-Economic Party being interviewed by The Jerusalem Post, October 22, 2026.

Peace absent from Israel's 2026 elections as West Bank tensions continue to rise -analysis

More than three years of war have reshaped the country, but few candidates are offering a vision for relations with the Palestinians, let alone a path toward resolving the conflict. 

Election campaign billboards featuring Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot and Likud party chairman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alongside opposition leaders are displayed along a roadside in the northern Israeli city of Haifa, ahead of Israel’s upcoming general elections.