Likud court orders Netanyahu to publish candidate slate within two hours
Likud party’s internal court orders Netanyahu to publish candidate slate within two hours as election deadline looms.
Businessman Dubrovsky forgoes Knesset seat for AI minister role
Businessman Dubrovsky, who was scheduled to secure the 11th spot on Likud’s party list, announced he will not run for Knesset and will instead join the government as a professional minister overseeing artificial intelligence if Netanyahu wins the election. The withdrawal leaves the Prime Minister with six remaining safe Knesset seats on the party list.
Israeli Jewish optimism rises ahead of Rosh Hashanah
A new poll shows 76% of right-wing Israeli Jews believe the country is improving and will continue to improve as the Jewish New Year approaches. However, Arab Israelis remain significantly more pessimistic about the nation’s trajectory, according to the survey findings.
Benny Begin attacks Netanyahu over judicial inquiry refusal
Benny Begin, son of former Prime Minister Menachem Begin, has sharply criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for refusing to establish a state inquiry commission. Begin stated that Netanyahu bears ultimate responsibility for what he termed a “terrible failure,” and condemned what he called the government’s degradation of public life and weakness in state leadership, unprecedented in Israel’s history.
2026 Election candidates take shape as party lists submitted
Israeli political parties are submitting candidate lists to the elections committee as the map for the 26th Knesset takes form. The submission process is underway with final lists shaping the political landscape ahead of voting day.
Eisenkot’s Yashar party releases election slate with Shin Bet ex-chief
Zionist Home chairman Chili Tropper submitted the party’s final candidate list for upcoming elections, placing former Shin Bet security chief Cohen in the number two position. Zionist Home chairman Chili Tropper also appears on the slate in sixth place.
Prosecutors seek harsher sentence for teenager who attacked elderly woman
State prosecutors have petitioned the Supreme Court for a stricter sentence in the case of a teenager convicted of violently attacking an 87-year-old woman. The defendant received 35 months imprisonment, but prosecutors argue the penalty fails to reflect the victim’s vulnerability and the perpetrator’s criminal history.
Israeli parties select candidates through vastly different democratic processes
Israel’s political parties employ markedly different methods for selecting parliamentary candidates ahead of elections. The Likud and Democrats saw tens of thousands of members vote, whilst the National Religious Party limited voting to several hundred central committee members. Right-wing parties Yamina and Ayelet Shaked concentrate candidate selection power among senior leadership, whilst ultra-Orthodox parties leave final decisions to rabbinic authorities. The divergent systems reflect fundamental differences in party structure and decision-making philosophy.
Ben Gvir freezes police appointments one day before major promotion round
National Security Minister Ben Gvir freezes all police appointments hours before 141 senior officers were due for promotion, citing election proximity concerns.
Bennett unveils joint election slate with female-led leadership positions
Opposition leader Naftali Bennett has released his party’s Knesset candidate list for the upcoming joint slate with Yesh Atid. The list includes five women in senior positions, notably placing senior ministry executives in prominent spots, including the former transport and finance ministry director-general in third place.