Briefing, October 19, 2026
What changed in Israel's 2026 election that day, in a few sentences. Each sentence links the report it rests on.
Beyond the campaign
Eight days before the October 27 election, Benny Gantz dropped out of the race after his Blue and White party consistently polled below the electoral threshold. The ForwardJerusalem PostHaaretz
His withdrawal prompted warnings from Gideon Sa'ar and Bezalel Smotrich regarding wasted right-wing votes, while left-wing faction leaders welcomed the move. Jerusalem Post
Ahead of the election, the military chief suspended soldiers' leave and reinforced forces in the West Bank as balloting for troops begins on Tuesday. HaaretzJerusalem Post
Parties and candidates
Party leaders seeking to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized United States President Donald Trump's endorsement of the prime minister, alleging Trump wanted a puppet. HaaretzJerusalem Post
Addressing future coalition possibilities, Netanyahu announced that Itamar Ben-Gvir would serve as a senior minister, while Education Minister Yoav Kisch stated that Likud is open to Avigdor Liberman joining a government. Jerusalem PostHaaretz
To bolster the anti-Netanyahu bloc, Ra'am and the Joint List began pushing for higher voter turnout within the Arab community. Jerusalem Post
Polls
According to a Kan poll, 30 percent of Israeli voters remain undecided, with respondents citing the economy and national security as their primary issues. Jerusalem Post