Israeli politics

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (r) and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, on May 2, 2018. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Netanyahu said to nix planned trip to Tokyo amid political stalemate

PM’s office had not confirmed trip, but diplomats were gearing for premier to attend ceremonies honoring Japan’s emperor day before deadline to form coalition

October 15, 2019, 11:57 pm

Netanyahu said to nix planned trip to Tokyo amid political stalemate

PM’s office had not confirmed trip, but diplomats were gearing for premier to attend ceremonies honoring Japan’s emperor day before deadline to form coalition

By TOI staff and Raphael Ahren

Japan's new Emperor Naruhito, accompanied by new Empress Masako, makes his first address during a ritual after succeeding his father Akihito at Imperial Palace in Tokyo, May 1, 2019. (Japan Pool via AP)

October 15, 2019, 1:13 pm

PM plans Tokyo trip next week for emperor enthronement, amid coalition stalemate

Netanyahu set to attend ceremonies honoring Japan’s Naruhito and meet PM Abe, one day before his deadline for building a coalition

By Raphael Ahren

Ballots lies on a table during Israel's parliamentary election, at a polling station in Rosh Haayin, on September 17, 2019. (Jack GUEZ/AFP)

September 26, 2019, 6:07 am

Review of polling patterns shows political hookups and breakups in 2nd election

As political affiliations become increasingly fluid, large parties may do well to pay heed to an Israeli hi-tech maven’s statistical analysis of who is voting for whom — and why

By Tani Goldstein

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads the weekly cabinet meeting, in the Jordan Valley on September 15, 2019. (Marc Israel Sellem/POOL)

September 24, 2019, 11:18 am

With no proper coalition since 2018, Israeli governance is lost in transition

Netanyahu has held caretaker role for 9 months, remaining PM purely by dint of being the last person elected to the job, with diplomatic and military wiggle room legally limited

By Raphael Ahren

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein seen at a state ceremony at the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem as Israel marks the annual Holocaust Remembrance Day, April 12, 2018. (Noam Moskowitz/POOL)

September 20, 2019, 6:47 am

Dethroning King Bibi: Why, and how, Likud could get rid of its longtime leader

Netanyahu’s MKs still pledge loyalty, but the inconclusive election result may yet prompt them to commit regicide. Predicts one analyst: ‘They won’t stay on the Likud-Titanic’

By Raphael Ahren

In this video posted to social media on September 16, 2019, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged voters not to get distracted by election day sex and forget to go to the polls. (Twitter screenshot)

September 17, 2019, 4:23 pm

Netanyahu warns voters of dangers of sex on election day

Israelis respond with snark to PM’s video cautioning supporters not to be complacent

By TOI staff

Graffiti in Jisr az-Zarka, a coastal Arab-Israeli town north of Caesarea. (Amir Ben David)

September 13, 2019, 6:48 am

Fear and loathing, and alienation, on the second 2019 Israeli campaign trail

In the run-up to Sept. 17, many Israelis of all stripes are wondering whether their elected officials even care about them anymore. At 4 very different locales, we found out why

By Amir Ben-David

Israeli president Reuven Rivlin speaks during a Channel 12 news conference in Tel Aviv on September 5, 2019. (Flash90)

September 5, 2019, 4:51 pm

In rare criticism, Rivlin implies PM took advantage of country to call new vote

President says he will do everything he can to prevent a third quick-fire election, expresses ‘surprise’ over Netanyahu’s maneuvering to call September ballot

By Raoul Wootliff

President Reuven Rivlin attends a ceremony in memory of Dvir Sorek, an 18-year-old Israeli killed in a terror attack, during the opening of the school year at the yeshiva where Sorek studied in the West Bank settlement of Migdal Oz, September 1, 2019. (Gershon Elinson/Flash90)

September 1, 2019, 4:42 pm

Rivlin condemns efforts to ‘radicalize’ political discourse ahead of elections

In remarks seemingly aimed at Netanyahu, president implores Israelis ‘not to believe the incitement and the personal attacks’ from politicians

By TOI staff

Labor leader Amir Peretz, center, with Vegan Friendly founder and CEO Omri Paz, right, and lobbyist Anna Nemkov, left. (Courtesy/Zman Yisrael)

September 1, 2019, 5:18 am

Vegan animal lovers uncage political aspirations ahead of Israeli elections

Thousands have joined political parties in time for September 17 vote, aiming to leverage the animal rights community’s growing social presence into political power that bites

By Anabel Zamir

MK Amir Peretz, newly elected leader of the Labor party speaks during a press conference in Tel Aviv, July 3, 2019. (Flash90)

August 1, 2019, 4:06 pm

Peretz accuses Netanyahu, Liberman of colluding to force repeat elections

Comments come after Yisrael Beytenu head claims prime minister intent on bringing Labor into coalition

By TOI staff

President Reuven Rivlin at a ceremony in memory of Israeli soldiers killed in the First Lebanon War in Jerusalem on June 18, 2019 (Noam Revkin Fenton/FLASH90)

June 18, 2019, 7:15 pm

Netanyahu, Rivlin urge ‘unity’ at memorial service for Altalena victims

President: ‘We must not allow divisive discourse to wreck every green pasture. No one knows this better than the prime minister’

By TOI staff

Clockwise from top left: Likud members Yisrael Katz, Yuli Edelstein, Gideon Sa'ar, and Gilad Erdan. (Flash90)

June 11, 2019, 4:56 pm

Naming backbencher as minister, Netanyahu ensures he stays Likud’s only big gun

As he assigns cabinet portfolios, is the prime minister deliberately undermining senior Likud members who may pose a political threat?

By Shalom Yerushalmi

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman leads a faction meeting of his Yisrael Beytenu party at the Knesset on June 18, 2018. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

May 30, 2019, 1:46 pm

Russian roulette: How Liberman hopes to profit from Netanyahu’s defeat

By forcing new elections over ultra-Orthodox draft bill, Yisrael Beytenu chief aims to establish himself as new champion of secular Israel. It’s already gotten him lots of free PR

By Raphael Ahren

Likud MKs David Bitan (L) and David Amsalem attend a Knesset committee meeting on September 21, 2016. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

April 19, 2019, 10:34 am

6,644 bills, 5,756 queries: Was 20th Knesset a tale of quantity over quality?

No other democratic parliament in the world is close to Israel when it comes to the number of laws proposed by private members. This is not a good thing

By Dr. Chen Friedberg, Avital Fridman and Niv Shoval