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Israeli politics

Supreme Court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg presides over a hearing at the High Court of Justice on petitions against the law freezing arrests, investigations, and enforcement measures against Haredi draft evaders, July 28, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
As Gadi Eisenkot and Yair Golan seek Shin Bet security details
Election czar seeks clarification on party leaders’ requests for security protection
By ToI Staff
CEC chair Sohlberg asks National Security Council to determine who is responsible for assessing inquiries from non-MK party leaders and to set out clear criteria on the matter
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir seen in the Knesset on July 16, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Ben Gvir refuses Netanyahu’s demand to merge with Smotrich; Likud: He’s crowning Eisenkot
By ToI Staff
Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot visits Kibbutz Nir Oz, near the Gaza border, as part of his election campaign, August 5, 2026. (Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90)
Shin Bet to allow armed guards for Eisenkot, but won’t provide them itself — report
By ToI Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks from the Israeli coast about the locating of the 1948 vessel Altalena, August 24, 2026. (GPO screenshot)
PM hails finding of Irgun arms ship Altalena, denounces Ben-Gurion for attacking it in 1948
By Noam Lehmann and ToI Staff
Religious Zionism chairman and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich presents his plan to "Judaize" the Negev and Galilee while curtailing Arab building, August 27, 2026. (Courtesy of Religious Zionism)
August 27, 2026, 6:47 pm
Smotrich calls to ‘Judaize’ Negev, Galilee as part of his settlement ‘revolution’
Far-right minister’s pre-election plan would establish dozens of towns for one million new Jewish residents while curbing Arab building
By Sam Sokol
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the Negev Conference in the southern city of Dimona, southern Israel, July 17, 2026. (Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90)
August 27, 2026, 4:06 pm
With debutant Winter poised to cannibalize his bloc, Netanyahu has reason to sweat
New People of Israel party seen as most likely to draw votes away from PM’s coalition allies, as well as his own Likud, with rivals and other small right-wing factions already siphoning away support
By Sam Sokol
Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot, at a campaign conference of at the Darom HaSharon Regional Council building in central Israel, July 27, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
August 26, 2026, 11:45 pm
Spyware reportedly found on phones of 2 senior Eisenkot campaign officials
Malware, including wiretapping software, reportedly found during daily cybersecurity check at opposition Yashar party headquarters
By ToI Staff
Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats party, speaks during a party rally at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, July 25, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
August 26, 2026, 11:27 pm
Democrats chair Yair Golan said to request security detail due to threats on his life
Request reportedly cites posts saying Golan should be hanged, shot, maimed; Eisenkot trades barbs with hawkish newcomer Winter as PM’s glumness on Likud’s chances is backed up by poll
By Sam Sokol
Ra'am chairman Mansour Abbas (left) and former Yesh Atid MK Yoav Segalovitz in a handout photo released by the party on August 26, 2026. (Courtesy)
August 26, 2026, 7:35 pm
Abbas eyes Segalovitz pact amid backlash for saying he’s ‘compelled’ to accept Jewish state
Ra’am chair angers right-wing lawmakers in Facebook post asserting that Arab politicians must accept ‘imposed’ reality of Israel’s Jewish character; Erdan: Abbas wants a caliphate
By ToI Staff and Sam Sokol
Ofer Winter at the launch of his new People of Israel party in Jerusalem, August 25, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
August 25, 2026, 11:57 pm
Winter launches nationalist ‘People of Israel’ party; Netanyahu warns it could doom the right
Controversial ex-general says Israelis will no longer accept same political faces after Oct. 7; does not mention PM; unveils diverse slate including Arab-Israeli influencer Yosef Haddad
By Sam Sokol
Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel speaks to the media as she announces her resignation as deputy foreign minister at the Knesset in Jerusalem, July 14, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
August 25, 2026, 4:28 pm
No slate, no HQ: Sharren Haskel wages an uphill fight to return to the Knesset
The Israel First party is polling far below the electoral threshold, but the former deputy foreign minister at its helm insists she’s not just looking to dock with another ‘Third Bloc’ faction
By Sam Sokol
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu votes in Jerusalem in the Likud primary election on August 17, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
August 25, 2026, 12:52 am
Lagging in polls, Netanyahu warns small right-wing parties could hand election to ‘fascist’ left
Fuming that a rash of new parties led by disaffected nationalists will waste vital votes, PM, whose coalition seeks oversight of media, claims opposition would restrict free speech, shutter his supportive Channel 14
By Sam Sokol
Moti Leitner, chairman of The Charedi Public, and Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer, head of the party's rabbinic committee, attend the kick-off of the new ultra-Orthodox faction's Knesset campaign in Beit Shemesh, August 23, 2026. (Sam Sokol/Times of Israel)
August 24, 2026, 7:26 pm
Launching campaign, new Haredi party slams ‘detachment, stupidity’ of existing factions
The Charedi Public calls for secular education, workforce participation and the enlistment of everybody who is not learning full-time in yeshiva
By Sam Sokol
Sharren Haskel, left, Jonathan Pollard, center and political strategist Roi Danino in front of the Western Wall in Jerusalem, in a picture distributed on August 23, 2026. (Courtesy Israel First)
August 23, 2026, 2:23 pm
Ex-spy Jonathan Pollard announces Knesset run on Haskel’s ‘Israel First’ slate
Pollard, a former US intelligence analyst jailed for 30 years for passing secrets to Israel, has called for imprisoning hostages’ families and pushed for the forcible transfer of Gazans
By Sam Sokol
Ra’am chairman MK Mansour Abbas addresses party delegates at their convention in Taibe, August 22, 2026. (Facebook)
August 22, 2026, 11:34 pm
Ra’am’s Abbas says Palestinian state ‘a reality,’ drawing outrage from Zionist parties
Arab party chairman tells delegates he wants to be part of the opposition ‘change bloc,’ but immediately draws censure from that bloc’s leaders
By Sam Sokol and ToI Staff
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett addresses a 'security concept conference' held by his B’Yachad party, August 19, 2026. (Elad Gutman)
August 19, 2026, 7:53 pm
Bennett: Israel should strike Iran to retaliate for Hezbollah attacks
B’Yachad chief accuses PM of tearing ‘Israeli society to shreds’ at party conference. Lapid calls to repair Israel’s ‘bipartisan status’ in US, strengthen ties with Diaspora Jews
By Sam Sokol
Likud members are seen posing in a cutout with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a polling station in Jerusalem during primary elections on August 17, 2026, to determine the party’s Knesset list ahead of the Israeli general elections. The text reads, "I'm with Bibi too!" (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
August 18, 2026, 8:17 pm
Likud primary results boost Netanyahu’s bid to reshape sinking party, win back voters
With Likud bleeding support, PM is hoping that bringing relative moderates to top of slate, rather than far-rightists preferred by party’s hardcore, can make the difference in October’s general election
By Sam Sokol
Ultra-Orthodox voters arrive at a polling station in Beit Shemesh to take part in the Likud party primary, August 17, 2026. (Sam Sokol/Times of Israel)
August 18, 2026, 10:05 am
Haredi turnout high in Likud primary, amid fears they won’t vote for party in general election
Some Likud activists decry ‘foreign body’ influencing Netanyahu’s slate, but many candidates are glad to get votes wherever they can
By Sam Sokol
The near-final Likud slate for the 2026 election, with silhouettes showing slots reserved for Benjamin Netanyahu's yet-to-be-named personal choices. Top left to bottom right: 1. Benjamin Netanyahu 2. Eli Cohen 3. Reserved 4. Israel Katz 5. Gideon Sa'ar 6. Amir Ohana 7. Yariv Levin 8. Miri Regev 9. Reserved 10. Ofir Katz 11. Oren Dobronsky 12. Yoav Kisch 13. Miki Zohar 14. Almog Cohen 15. Reserved 16. Amichai Chikli 17. David Amsalem 18. Haim Katz 19. Moshe Saada 20. Tally Gotliv 21. Shlomo Karhi 22. David Bitan 23. Boaz Bismuth 24. Nir Barkat 25. Gila Gamliel. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner, Yonatan Sindel/Flash90, Ivan Burchak/iStock by Getty Images, Chaim Goldberg/Flash90, Oren Ben Hakoon/Flash90, Yehoshua Yosef/Flash90, Courtesy Likud party, Miriam Alster/Flash90, Yossi Aloni/FLASH90, Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
August 18, 2026, 5:52 am
Cohen, Ohana, Levin and Regev top Likud party primary; Netanyahu ‘very satisfied’ with results
Energy minister will get No. 2 slot on party’s Knesset slate behind Netanyahu; ministers Elkin, Golan, Silman and Dichter will likely be out of jobs come October; Eisenkot denounces ‘the October 7 list’ of those who ‘blindly led Israel to its worst disaster’
By ToI Staff and Sam Sokol
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