Israelis will vote on October 27 in the first election since military operations in Gaza, Lebanon, and against Iran began, with the ballot widely characterized as a test of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership. The parliament has enacted numerous measures affecting Palestinians since the start of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, including rejections of statehood and support for West Bank annexation.
Israeli politics diverges from typical left-right frameworks, with positions determined primarily by stance toward the Palestinian conflict rather than economic policy. The spectrum has shifted substantially rightward, with positions once considered fringe now representing mainstream consensus. The current governing coalition, formed after the November 2022 election, comprises Netanyahu’s Likud party, ultra-Orthodox factions, and far-right groups including Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit. The coalition has experienced multiple restructurings, with various parties joining and departing at different points. Key far-right figures, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, hold significant power over settlement expansion and security matters.
The opposition does not function as a traditional political left. Centrist parties like Yesh Atid and Blue and White have opposed a judicial overhaul but do not consistently challenge Palestinian-related policies. Labor remains the sole major Jewish party openly supporting a two-state solution. Arab-led parties consistently oppose policies affecting Palestinians, while secular right-wing parties and others occupy various positions on the spectrum.
Analysis of ten consequential parliamentary votes between July 2024 and March 2026 reveals minimal substantive opposition to Palestinian-affecting legislation. A February 2024 vote rejecting Palestinian statehood recognition passed 99-11, with centrist and right-wing opposition parties supporting it alongside the coalition. Similarly, a July 2024 resolution labeling a Palestinian state an “existential danger” passed 68-9, again drawing support from mainstream opposition figures. The Arab-led parties and the smaller Democrats party provided the only consistent voting opposition, holding just 14 of 120 seats in the previous parliament.
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