Israel's October 2026 election and Netanyahu's bid for another term

Israel's parliament, the Knesset, voted early on July 17, 2026 to dissolve itself after an overnight marathon in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition pushed through a series of controversial bills, setting the stage for elections on October 27.^[1] Israel's right wing made rebuilding Jewish settlements in Gaza a central campaign issue, part of a push for Netanyahu to reverse the 2005 disengagement from the territory.^[4] Incitement against journalists also alarmed Israelis as the vote neared; at Channel 12's Tel Aviv headquarters, a masked man shattered the glass door with a brick.^[5]

In late September, Israel's Central Elections Committee barred the main Arab lists, Ra'am and the Joint List, from the vote after petitions from members of Netanyahu's coalition.^[6] Sami Abu Shehadeh, head of the left-wing Arab party Balad, withdrew his candidacy after the Supreme Court indicated that a majority of its judges supported disqualifying him.^[7] The court then overturned the ban on the Arab parties and reinstated the candidacy of Ofer Cassif, a far-left Jewish lawmaker.^[2] In an interview with Time magazine, Trump sidestepped repeated questions about whether Netanyahu should be reelected and highlighted instead his support for Israel's defense.^[3]