Briefing, October 6, 2026
What changed in Israel's 2026 election that day, in a few sentences. Each sentence links the report it rests on.
Polls
According to a Haaretz poll, a bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot would win 54 seats to Benjamin Netanyahu's 49, leaving it short of a majority without Arab parties. Haaretz
An Israel Democracy Institute poll showed that 68 percent of Jewish Israelis and 32 percent of Arab Israelis consider the October 7 attacks central to their choice of party. Jerusalem Post
Parties and candidates
Joint List leaders said they could back legislation barring a criminal defendant from forming a government and support a minority coalition to oust Netanyahu and Bezalel Smotrich. Haaretz
Beyond the campaign
Likud signed a surplus-vote agreement with Smotrich's Religious Zionist Party, while Otzma Yehudit accused Likud of sidelining Itamar Ben-Gvir. Jerusalem Post
Bennett vowed to pass a law barring draft evaders from the security cabinet, targeting Shas leader Arye Deri over the party's stance on haredi conscription. Jerusalem Post
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed at a cabinet meeting that Hamas will attempt to carry out an attack to influence the upcoming election. Times of Israel