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Democrats Rule Out Any Netanyahu Coalition, Polls Show

By Drooid · Oct 28, 2026, 02:27 UTC · How we work

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Summary

Democrats leader former IDF chief Yair Golan said his party will not join any coalition headed by Benjamin Netanyahu.
He also ruled out sitting with Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben-Gvir, or ultra-Orthodox parties.
Polls projected the Democrats will win nine to ten Knesset seats.
Shas and United Torah Judaism together were projected for twelve to fifteen seats.

History

The 1977 ‘Mahapach’ on 17 May saw Likud under Menachem Begin win 43 seats, ending nearly 30 years of Labor dominance and forcing a coalition with ultra-orthodox parties, while voter turnout reached 79%. Today Yair Golan rejects Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposed government that would again depend on Bezalel Smotrich, Shas and United Torah Judaism, echoing that historic power shift.

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Historical Context

The 1977 ‘Mahapach’ on 17 May saw Likud under Menachem Begin win 43 seats, ending nearly 30 years of Labor dominance and forcing a coalition with ultra-orthodox parties, while voter turnout reached 79%. Today Yair Golan rejects Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposed government that would again depend on Bezalel Smotrich, Shas and United Torah Judaism, echoing that historic power shift.

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