Join our Community
Support ToI and remove all ads
Learn more
×

Israeli politics

Stav Levaton
Profile
Stav Levaton
Placed on Likud’s slate, pro-Netanyahu pundit Jacob Bardugo amps up political clout to 11
Jacob Bardugo, one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's personally selected candidates for Likud's slate in the October 27, 2026, general elections, at an event in Jerusalem where Netanyahu presented the candidates, September 8, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
Doggedly loyal Channel 14 firebrand long operated inside the PM’s political orbit from behind the scenes, but is now set to assume real influence with the No. 11 slot on Likud's electoral slate
A man walks past a television channel advertisement featuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, and his main rival, opposition candidate Gadi Eisenkot, ahead of Israel’s general election, in Ramat Gan, September 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
September 30, 2026, 5:03 am
‘It’s bad’: In a polarized Israel, the likeliest election result is more uncertainty
This may be Israel’s most consequential election ever. But neither side has a clear path to victory and they’re both plagued by infighting. On Oct. 27, don’t expect a reckoning
By Ben Sales
A television channel advertisement featuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, and his main election rival Gadi Eisenkot ahead of the Knesset election, in Ramat Gan, September 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
September 25, 2026, 12:46 am
Netanyahu’s coalition and rival ‘change bloc’ draw level in latest ToI poll
Zionist anti-Netanyahu parties should agree on candidate for premier, say 67% of respondents who back them; PM bloc’s edge in last week’s Channel 13 poll, touted by Trump, disappears
By ToI Staff
National Security Minister and Otzma Yehudit party chairman Itamar Ben Gvir and fellow party member Tali Gotliv hold a press conference in Jerusalem, September 22, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 23, 2026, 1:31 am
Ben Gvir demands role of defense minister in next government, Gotliv as justice minister
Otzma Yehudit chair unveils plans to ‘encourage’ Palestinians to leave Gaza and West Bank, fire attorney general, loosen constraints on military and radically weaken judiciary
By Ariela Karmel and ToI Staff
Yoav Segalovitz, right, reaches for the hand of Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas at a press conference in Nazareth on August 31, 2026. (Michael Giladi/FLASH90)
September 17, 2026, 11:48 am
A Jewish Zionist running with Ra’am, Segalovitz tells ToI he aims to smash the political paradigm
Former senior cop and Yesh Atid lawmaker admits differences on social issues with Islamist party, but says main concern is tackling rampant crime and advancing coexistence
By Tal Schneider
Justice Minister Yariv Levin at a press conference in the Knesset, May 10, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 16, 2026, 10:54 pm
Levin allows Shin Bet final say on providing security to political party chiefs
Justice minister makes decision unilaterally after no other ministers show up to committee hearing; parties of Eisenkot, Golan have demanded protection, citing threats
By ToI Staff
Ra’am party chairman Mansour Abbas (left), together with party member Yoav Segalovitz, arrives to submit the party list to the Central Elections Committee ahead of the upcoming Israeli election at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, September 7, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 10, 2026, 12:33 pm
Yoav Segalovitz, first Jewish candidate on Ra’am slate, wants to ‘break down walls’
Former Yesh Atid lawmaker and policeman acknowledges his views differ from socially conservative Ra’am on some issues, but says he would rather focus on genuine partnership
By AFP
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) in Jerusalem on September 7 and Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot in Rosh HaAyin on September 7, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/FLASH90)
September 10, 2026, 11:18 am
Election polls show little change, continued deadlock after party slates finalized
Eisenkot’s Yashar is largest party in TV polls but neither bloc has clear path to majority; opposition officials said pressuring Gantz to quit, viewing him as obstacle to victory
By ToI Staff
Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar party, attends the presentation of the party’s candidate list ahead of the upcoming general elections in Rosh HaAyin, September 7, 2026. (Flash90)
September 10, 2026, 10:36 am
‘Teddy bear with a spine of iron’: How Gadi Eisenkot has emerged as Netanyahu’s chief election rival
The former IDF chief, in many ways the polar opposite of Netanyahu, represents to many voters a long-forgotten type of Israeli politician, one they are eager to see in power again
By Eliav Breuer
L: Former prime minister Naftali Bennett at a B'Yachad party event in Tel Aviv, September 6, 2026. R: Yisrael Beytenu chair Avigdor Liberman at a party event in Tel Aviv, September 6, 2026. (Flash90, Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
September 6, 2026, 11:59 pm
Anti-Netanyahu leaders Bennett and Liberman unveil their parties’ Knesset election slates
B’Yachad head Bennett vows to ‘fix Israel’ with list of former MKs, ministers and senior civil servants; Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu slate boasts ex-Likud members as he vies for leadership, swipes at Eisenkot
By Ariela Karmel, Stav Levaton and ToI Staff
Yashar chair Gadi Eisenkot (center) along with Zionist Home leader Chili Tropper (second from right) and candidates Shira Shapira, Elyasaf Peretz and Shlomi Yehiav, in a photo published on September 6, 2026, following a political merger. (Yahav Trodler/Yashar)
September 6, 2026, 8:39 pm
Ditching Hendel, Zionist Home chair Chili Tropper merges party into Eisenkot’s Yashar
Israel Prize laureate Adi Altschuler also joins Yashar, tapped as candidate for education minister; Ben Gvir publishes Otzma Yehudit slate, prompting disgruntled MK to resign
By Ariela Karmel and ToI Staff
Ofer Winter takes the applause at the launch of his People of Israel party, in Jerusalem, August 25, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
September 6, 2026, 4:01 am
Report: Days after Oct. 7, Ofer Winter tried to talk PM out of Gaza ground offensive
Right-wing ex-general said to have told Netanyahu during secret meeting that 15,000 soldiers would die, thousands would be kidnapped if they went into Gaza; Winter denies report
By ToI Staff
United Torah Judaism MKs Moshe Gafni (left) and Uri Maklev attend a National Security Committee meeting at the Knesset on February 9, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 6, 2026, 2:19 am
Veteran Haredi MK Moshe Gafni to be removed as leader of UTJ’s Degel HaTorah faction
Gafni and MK Uri Maklev won’t run in October 27 election, with rabbinical leader saying it is time to ‘refresh’ party list; shake-up said driven by internal dispute over military draft
By ToI Staff
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara at a Knesset House committee meeting, Jerusalem, June 8, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 2, 2026, 7:32 pm
AG says Ovadia Yosef memorial event can be held before election if it is privately funded
In letter to Religious Affairs Ministry, Baharav-Miara proposes splitting planned ceremony for late Shas spiritual leader into two separate events to assuage electioneering concern
By ToI Staff
Ra’am party chief Mansour Abbas (left) holds a joint press conference with new party member Yoav Segalovitz in Nazareth, August 31, 2026. (Michael Giladi/FLASH90)
September 1, 2026, 1:03 pm
Full speech: Yoav Segalovitz joins Arab party Ra’am with hopes for ‘a shared future’
Former senior police official and Yesh Atid MK calls on ‘Jews, Arabs, Muslims, Christians and Druze to put their trust in this move and join us’
Left to right: Former minister Gilad Erdan and MK Yuli Edelstein in Tel Aviv, August 6, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90); Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel in Jerusalem, July 14, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90); Yoaz Hendel and Chili Tropper in Jerusalem, August 5, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
August 30, 2026, 8:17 pm
With only days left to submit slates, small parties are still jockeying for position
Despite polling under the electoral threshold, newly established right-wing factions seen as unlikely to agree on any sort of joint run until right before September 8 deadline
By Sam Sokol
Load More

Sign in or Join The Times of Israel Community

Sign in or Register

Paying ToI Community members are invited to comment on articles
Please use the following structure: example@domain.com
Or Continue with
By joining you agree to the terms and conditions
Register to continue
Or Continue with
Log in to continue
Sign in or Join The Times of Israel Community
Sign in or Register
Only ToI Community members can comment below articles
Forgot your password? / Send me a login link
Or Continue with
check your email
Check your email
We sent an email to you at .
It has a link that will sign you in.
Join The Times of Israel Community
Commenting is available for paying members of The Times of Israel Community only. Please join our Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits.
Please use the following structure: example@domain.com
Confirm Mail
Thank you! Now check your email
You are now a member of The Times of Israel Community! We sent you an email with a login link to . Once you're set up, you can start enjoying Community benefits and commenting.
Back to top
Never miss breaking news on Israel
Get notifications to stay updated
You're subscribed
image
Register for free
and continue reading
Registering allows you to manage your newsletters and alerts and helps us improve your experience. It takes just a few seconds.
Already registered? Enter your email to sign in.
Please use the following structure: example@domain.com
Or Continue with
By registering you agree to the terms and conditions. Once registered, you’ll receive our Daily Edition email for free.
Register to continue
Or Continue with
Log in to continue
Sign in or Register
I forgot my password / Send me a sign in link
Or Continue with
check your email
Check your email
We sent an email to you at .
It has a link that will sign you in.