Story perspectives

Supreme Court Reinstates Arab Parties Before Israel Election

By Drooid · Oct 22, 2026, 8:02 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Arab Citizens Campaign

Arab citizens are campaigning to vote in next week’s general election to influence the coalition.
Polls estimate Arab parties will win about 14 of the 120 Knesset seats.
The Supreme Court overturned the United Arab List and Joint List disqualification days before voting.
Plan B seeks to replace the Knesset Speaker on November 10.
A September poll found 53.5% of Arab voters prioritize ending gang crime after 252 murders last year.

Summary

Trump Endorses Netanyahu

U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu on Truth Social days before the Oct. 27 election.
Trump delayed the endorsement until internal polls indicated Netanyahu’s bloc was gaining strength, sources say.
Netanyahu said he never offered Trump anything for the endorsement, denying alleged Gaza reconstruction promises.
Former adviser Aviv Bushinsky warned settlement expansion and escalated wars with Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah would likely continue under Netanyahu.

Summary

Bennett Cuts Funding

Yoav Eisenkot says Benjamin Netanyahu promised a draft-evasion law as a pre-condition for his government.
Naftali Bennett vows to cut NIS 30 billion from haredi funding and redirect it to soldiers.
Yair Liberman declares the next government will enlist everyone with no exemptions or back-room deals.
Miri Winter pledges to support only a government that drafts haredim and rejects the sector’s demands.

History

Historical Context

In the 29 May 1996 election, Benjamin Netanyahu won the prime-ministerial race by 29,457 votes, while his Likud-Gesher-Tzomet alliance secured only 32 Knesset seats, the smallest governing bloc in Israeli history. To form a government he partnered with religious parties such as Shas and United Torah Judaism, a coalition that later shaped debates over budget allocations and military conscription for the Haredi community.

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Arab Citizens Campaign

Arab citizens are campaigning to vote in next week’s general election to influence the coalition.
Polls estimate Arab parties will win about 14 of the 120 Knesset seats.
The Supreme Court overturned the United Arab List and Joint List disqualification days before voting.
Plan B seeks to replace the Knesset Speaker on November 10.
A September poll found 53.5% of Arab voters prioritize ending gang crime after 252 murders last year.

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