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Elections panel head tells Shin Bet to open probe amid allegations of Qatari influence in vote

Eisenkot warns against political actors exploiting investigation to delay Knesset swearing-in * Reports: Zini initially raised concerns of foreign electoral interference in private meeting with Sohlberg * Counting of 'double envelope' votes underway

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (top left), Yashar chair Gadi Eisenkot (top right), Joint List chair Yousef Jabareen (bottom left) and Ra'am chair Mansour Abbas (bottom right) address supporters at their election headquarters on October 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg, Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90, Sharon Leibel/Flash90, Michael Giladi/Flash90)

With 90% of votes counted, Netanyahu bloc has 53 seats, Eisenkot’s 48; Arab parties surge to 19

By ToI Staff and Ariela Karmel

Further updates unlikely before Thursday as Central Elections Committee turns attention to double-envelope ballots and ordinary ballots requiring extra oversight

2026 Israeli elections

The Times of Israel's electoral dashboard. The vote count is almost complete

Knesset seat projections over time

Possible coalitions according to the latest poll

*Joint List and Ra'am may support a coalition without formally joining

Where the parties stand on key issues

Yousef Jabareen, leader of the Arab-led Joint List political alliance, (Center-L) and other members cheer at the alliance’s campaign headquarters in Nazareth on October 27, 2026, as the first exit polls are announced on television during Israel’s legislative election. (AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP)

Op-ed

For pro-Israel diaspora, Israel’s Arab voters are a point of pride. For Israeli Jews, they’re a national security threat

High Arab turnout makes it easier to make case for Israel abroad, but complicates coalition-building for Jewish-led parties that have embraced PM's delegitimization of Arab political leaders

Religious Zionism chairman Bezalel Smotrich, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Otzma Yehudit chief Itamar Ben Gvir address supporters after October 27, 2026, elections. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90, Jewel Samad/AFP, AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Opposition mulls replacing Ohana as Knesset speaker with Lapid

Netanyahu vows to stick with far-right partners as Eisenkot seeks path to ‘bring change’

'We are together and we are staying together,' PM quoted as saying to Ben Gvir and Smotrich; Golan says he intends to meet with fellow 'change bloc' leaders as Liberman said to ghost them

An Israeli Air Force soldier votes in Israel's national election at IAF headquarters in Tel Aviv, October 27, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

Analysis

Last-to-be-counted ‘double envelope’ votes could shift Knesset seats, but not balance of power

Soldiers, prisoners and diplomats have cast 430,000 to 480,000 ballots that are only being counted from Wednesday night, but history suggests they won't break election stalemate

US President Donald Trump departs the North Portico of the White House, in Washington, October 28, 2026. (Alex Brandon/AP)

White House has not made decision to intervene in Israeli coalition talks — official

By Jacob Magid and ToI Staff

Reports that Washington will push for a unity government to resolve inconclusive election outcome are 'false and premature,' US official tells ToI

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Nefesh B'Nefesh

One day, every errand: 9K attend NBN’s Yom Siddurim for Lone Soldiers

Nefesh B’Nefesh and the FIDF brought more than 70 government agencies and service providers together at Yom Siddurim to help lone soldiers tackle the bureaucracy of everyday life.

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My parents did not believe in certificates. They believed in brisket

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US Vice President JD Vance speaks at the Lake Lucerne Summit at the Burgenstock resort in Obbuergen, near Lucerne, Switzerland, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (Urs Flueeler, Pool Photo via AP)

Hegseth fires Pentagon’s head of strategy, no reason given

Vance reportedly contacted top Iran security official in bid to restart peace talks

By AFP and ToI Staff

VP sends letter to head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council laying out framework for potential negotiations; WSJ says Trump ordered initiative, but US president denies being behind it

ToI podcast

Daily Briefing October 28: Israel voted in droves. What comes next?

By Amanda Borschel-Dan, Tal Schneider and Ariela Karmel

Political correspondents Tal Schneider and Ariela Karmel attempt to dissect election results and weigh in on the many outstanding questions

Promoted Livestream

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Israel Democracy Institute

Special post-election briefing: understanding Israel’s election results

IDI and ToI experts analyze the most consequential election in Israel’s history, explaining who won, who lost, which scenarios lie ahead, and what is at stake for Israel's future

Top ops

Leah Stern

Live long and prosper: The Jewish boys who imagined a better galaxy

Walter Koenig’s death sent me back to the Starship Enterprise, where the sons and grandsons of Jewish immigrants offered hope in a perilous time

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A midnight adventure into antiquity

PHOTO ESSAY: My wife and I joined the Samaritans for their 8-station pilgrimage on Mt. Gerizim, finding spirituality in the mist, amid white robes and silver-clad Torah scrolls

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These elections are not a fork in the road

As we fret that the wrong outcome could spell catastrophe for Israel, it’s worth remembering what has happened here over the past 3 years

Keith Brooks

Happy Election Day. May the best coalition you hate win

Staying sane through Israel’s political chaos means accepting that no party is going to govern the way you want. Not even close

Sarah Tuttle-Singer

Sarah Tuttle-Singer

Four secular teens, a Haredi family, and a place at the table

The disagreements over religion and military service didn’t disappear, but for one holiday meal, they simply mattered less

Daniel Goldman

Not just a vote against: What a Zionist government must stand for

Five priorities for a Zionist government that aims beyond correcting this coalition’s failures to securing Israel’s long-term future

Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler

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What happens if WhatsApp goes dark on Election Day?

From the Central Elections Committee to party activists and families, Israel runs on WhatsApp. But the app could fail us all when it matters most

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Netanyahu’s cryptocurrency gambit is really about the West Bank

The PM is signaling that, unlike his opponents, he will defy international pressure and keep building settlements, even at the risk of economic sanctions

Menachem Elyah Paull

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My Jewish papers, please

My parents did not believe in certificates. They believed in brisket

Naftali Bennett

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A New Deal for Israel

Facing enemies abroad and deep divisions at home, it’s time to repair our society and care for families who work and serve the country

David Breakstone

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Make Herzl proud. Vote Ra’am

This may be our last chance to secure a greater Israel

This handout picture provided by the UAE Presidential Court shows UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan embracing flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar, during a reception for him and other crew members of Flight 1073 in Abu Dhabi on October 27, 2026. (Abdulla AL-NEYADI/UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT/AFP)

Sporting visible scars, hero flydubai pilot honored by president of UAE

Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan awards Smit Machchhar and colleagues First Class Order of Zayed for thwarting Omani copilot's attempt to crash plane full of Israelis

2 Palestinians said hurt in West Bank settler attack

Hebron municipality: Some 5,000 residents still impacted by IDF operation in city

Israeli soldiers guard a checkpoint at the entrance to the West Bank city of Hebron, following a shooting attack in the area several days earlier, October 28, 2026. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90)

By Nurit Yohanan and Emanuel Fabian

Operation launched last week, after Palestinian gunmen killed 2 soldiers, continues, 6 detained in nearby villages; IDF says footage of soldier beating Palestinian detainee under review

Sacha Baron Cohen wants to fight bigotry. But is Ali G part of the problem?

English actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, dressed as his satirical fictional character Ali G, attends the premiere of Amazon MGM Studio’s “Ali G: Who Iz I?” at the Hollywood American Legion Post 43 in Los Angeles on October 14, 2026. (Katie Flores/AFP)

By Andrew Silow-Carroll

British Jewish comedian pushes back against calls to boycott his new film 'Ali G: Who Iz I?' over cultural appropriation concerns, says character is ideal vehicle for exposing insidious explosion of bigotry

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American Technion Society

Israel was built on vision. Its future depends on innovation.

Before Israel was a nation, it was a dream. The Technion helped turn that dream into reality. Discover the university that helped build Israel — and is shaping its future.

The reverse side of a Torah scroll fragment offered for auction in Norway, bearing a handwritten German address. The auction house claimed the parchment had been used by SS soldiers to wrap a package sent to Germany during the Holocaust. (Courtesy of RUTH: Remember Us The Holocaust, via JTA)

Norwegian auction of Nazi-defaced Holocaust-era Torah fragment sparks outcry, then intervention

By Deborah Danan

Israel's Foreign Ministry praises efforts to prevent sale of 'sacred manuscript looted by Nazis,' calfskin fragment to be donated to San Diego Holocaust remembrance organization

Watch: TOI Shorts

Israelis in mixed city of Acre react to election results

Israelis in mixed city of Acre react to election results

Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot says Israelis voted for change and against Prime Minister Benjamin Net

Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot says Israelis voted for change and against Prime Minister Benjamin Net

Can the Arab parties help get the opposition to 61 seats?

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What exit polls show about the Israeli electorate

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As Hebrew media begin publishing exit polls, supporters of Gadi Eisenkot’s centrist Yashar cheer at

As Hebrew media begin publishing exit polls, supporters of Gadi Eisenkot’s centrist Yashar cheer at

Arab voters cast ballots in Kafr Qasim

Arab voters cast ballots in Kafr Qasim

What voting looks like across Israel

What voting looks like across Israel

Polls are open: Your guide to Israel Election Day

Polls are open: Your guide to Israel Election Day

Flying home to vote: Why Israelis are making the trip

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Tamir Hayman: Are peace agreements with Arab neighbors worthwhile?

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Daniel Schlichter looks on as he speaks during an interview about an attack that occurred while he was aboard a flydubai flight bound for Israel, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Inside story

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Many passengers struggling to resume their normal lives

Flydubai attack survivors say Israeli government has left them high and dry

By Hannah Dreyfus

After Sept. 30 flight plummeted thousands of feet when terrorist copilot attempted to crash it, and heroic actions narrowly averted disaster, passengers say they're having to grapple with recovery on their own

Knife-wielding minor attacks guard at Israeli embassy in Belgrade, is shot dead

Serbian gendarmes guard the Israeli Embassy after an unidentified assailant attacked a guard with knives in Belgrade, Serbia, October 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

By Agencies and Nava Freiberg

Serbian interior ministry calls incident 'terror attack,' says assailant had Islamic State flag on Instagram account, shouted 'Allahu Akbar' during assault

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Screen capture from video of federal judge Alvin Hellerstein during an interview with the Refusniks and Activists website, 2023. (Resfusniksactivists)

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Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro arrives at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport on October 28, 2026, in Opa-locka, Florida. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

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Those we have lost

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Orel Peso (Courtesy)

Those we have lost

Orel Peso, 26: Budding DJ who was schooled in New York

Murdered by Hamas terrorists at the Supernova music festival on Oct. 7

Sgt.-Maj. Chen Nahmias who was killed in Sderot on October 7, 2023. (Facebook)

Those we have lost

Sgt. Maj. Chen Nahmias, 43: Father of 4 was ‘definition of a hero’

Veteran sniper in elite counterterrorism unit killed fighting terrorists in Sderot on October 7; friends dedicate a dog shelter in his name

Staff Sgt. Yaad Ben Yaakov (IDF)

Those we have lost

Staff Sgt. Yaad Ben Yaakov, 20: Golani soldier with a beaming smile

Killed battling the Hamas invasion of the Nahal Oz IDF outpost on Oct. 7

Nira Ronen (Courtesy)

Those We Have Lost

Nira Ronen, 86: Kibbutz pioneer and grandmother of 12

Murdered by Hamas terrorists in her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza

Laor Abramov (Courtesy)

Those We Have Lost

Laor Abramov, 20: Aspiring DJ from New Jersey

Murdered at the Supernova music festival, Oct. 7

Hashem Barawi (Courtesy)

Those we have lost

Hashem Barawi, 59: Gazan laborer worked in Israeli fields for 40 years

Murdered by Hamas terrorists at the Sha'ar Hanegev Junction on October 7

Mark Shindel (Courtesy)

Those We Have Lost

Mark Shindel, 23: Civil engineering student who loved soccer

Murdered at the Supernova music festival on October 7

Staff Sgt. Yair Nifousy (IDF)

Those we have lost

Staff Sgt. Yair Nifousy, 20: IDF sniper with ‘incredible charisma’

Killed on November 1 while battling Hamas in the northern Gaza Strip

Staff Sgt. Roey Weiser, who was killed by Hamas on October 7, 2023. (IDF)

Those We Have Lost

Staff Sgt. Roey Weiser, 21: Sought to divert Hamas terrorists from base

Killed near Kerem Shalom border crossing, October 7

Carmel and Dana Bachar (Courtesy)

Those We Have Lost

Dana and Carmel Bachar, 48 & 15: Mother and son buried side-by-side

Murdered in Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7

Tales of the Times

The quirky, improbable, infuriating and uplifting

Noah Wyle in HBO's "The Pitt." (Warrick Page/MAX via JTA)

People's chosen

Noah Wyle, TV’s nice Jewish doctor, is People’s ‘Sexiest Man Alive’

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By Andrew Silow-Carroll

Gal Gadot posts a recording of herself as she casts a vote on Israel's election day, October 27, 2026 (Courtesy)

No place like home

Gal Gadot casts ballot, calls on Israelis to vote in ‘momentous election’

Accepting Bar-Ilan University honorary doctorate, actress speaks of 'opportunity to make a difference' at the ballot box; 'No matter how far I travel, Israel's always my home,' she says

By Jessica Steinberg

The 'Bustan' (Orchard) at the Holon Design Museum's new exhibition, The Circle, September 9, 2026. (Sue Surkes/Times of Israel)

In the loop

Exhibit tackles role of design in cutting waste, protecting planet

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Frances Munning, played by Penny Downie in 'The Diplomat,' in a tribute scene to the late Hersh Goldberg-Polin in season four (Screenshot)

Streaming homage

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By Jessica Steinberg

Larry David arrives at a screening of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" during PaleyFest on April 18, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Curb your socialism

Larry David takes aim at DSA’s anti-Israel agenda and far-left platform

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A grab taken on October 16, 2026 from a live feed released by Tesla shows the company unveiling on October 15 its next-generation Roadster electric car in McGregor, Texas, United States. (Tesla/AFP)

Not a bird or a plane

Tesla unveils new ‘flying’ car, but consumer rollout likely still years away

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By AP

Immigrants arriving in Israel, as ANU Museum of the Jewish People and Nefesh b'Nefesh mark Aliyah Day on October 18, 2026 (Yonit Schiller)

Oleh, oleh

Where schnitzel, pickles and alfajores sit on the same table

Immigrant foods and the Israeli dining table are the focus of Aliyah Day at ANU Museum in Tel Aviv on Oct. 18

By Jessica Steinberg

A rendered photo of the Tel Aviv Fashion Museum, planned to open in early 2027 (Courtesy)

If the shoe fits

A museum dressed to impress: Fashion finds a home in Tel Aviv

The Tel Aviv Fashion Museum will open in Sarona, a collaboration of the Azrieli Group and curator Ya'ara Keydar

By Jessica Steinberg

The Arnovitz family in Koh Samui, Thailand, July 2026. (Courtesy)

Memory drive

Busy couple launches app to help parents record kids’ magic moments

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Ofra Yitzhaki, on piano, is the artistic director of the Kol Hamusica festival, taking place October 29-November 1, 2026, in the Upper Galilee (Ofer Moskovitz)

Musical memory

Upper Galilee to remember its own at music festival

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By Jessica Steinberg