Israeli elections 2026
Israel votes on October 27.
Israelis go to the polls on Tuesday, October 27 to elect the 120 members of the Knesset, the national parliament. Here is how the vote works, and a few facts about Israel's multiparty democracy worth knowing before the results come in.
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01 The vote
One vote, for one party.
Unlike Canada, where Members of Parliament are elected riding by riding, Israelis vote for a party. Each party puts forward a slate of candidates, and the Knesset's 120 seats are shared out in proportion to the votes each party receives.
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02 The parties
38
parties are running in this year's election, including three predominantly Arab parties.
Source Times of Israel -
03 New this year
A new centrist party.
Yashar is led by Gadi Eisenkot. Eisenkot comes from a Moroccan Jewish family: his father was from Marrakesh and his mother from Casablanca.
Source SA Jewish Report -
04 Representation
100+
Arabs have served as members of the Knesset, Israel's parliament.
Source Wikipedia -
05 Today
13 of 120
seats in the current Knesset are held by predominantly Arab parties.
Source The Jerusalem Post -
06 History
1969
Golda Meir became Prime Minister, the first woman to hold the position in Israel and the second woman worldwide to serve as a prime minister.
Source EBSCO Research Starters -
07 The courts
On the Supreme Court.
Multiple Arab jurists have served on Israel's Supreme Court. Justice Khaled Kabub is the court's first Muslim member.
Source Jewish Virtual Library Wikipedia