The political framework of Israel

Political Outline

Current Political Leaders

President: Isaac HERZOG (since 7 July 2021)
Prime minister: Benjamin NETANYAHU (since 29 December 2022)

Next Election Dates

Presidential: June 2028
Parliament: October 2026

Current Political Context

Israel experienced serious political challenges in 2024 as a result of ongoing conflicts with Gaza and Lebanon. Beginning in October 2023 and continuing into 2024, the Israel-Hamas conflict caused significant losses and extensive damage in the Gaza Strip. Israeli military orders and airstrikes forced over half of Gaza's population to relocate to the southern city of Rafah by May 2024. Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees were freed when a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was mediated in January 2025. The truce is still shaky, though, and talks are still being held to ensure its continuation. At the same time, tensions on Israel's northern border with Lebanon increased. Hezbollah launched operations against Israel in October 2023, sparking a 14-month battle marked by cross-border violence. Throughout 2024, the conflict escalated as Israeli forces targeted Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon with numerous airstrikes and ground operations. The war claimed many lives, including Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, who was killed in September 2024. In November 2024, Hezbollah was ordered to leave southern Lebanon as part of a truce. Despite the agreement, reports show that the ceasefire remains tenuous, with sporadic violence and Israeli military presence persisting in certain areas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under heavy political pressure as a result of these confrontations. The continuance of military operations in Gaza has caused division in his government, with ultranationalist cabinet members calling for the reoccupation of the territory. Furthermore, Netanyahu is under international criticism for Israel's military operations and their humanitarian effects, especially in relation to the uprooting of Palestinian civilians and the devastation of Gaza's infrastructure. Strategies to fight Hamas, challenge Iran's regional influence, and the effort to normalize relations with Arab countries have been the main topics of recent discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump. However, divergent views on the creation of a Palestinian state and the relocation of Gazans to nearby nations—proposals that have encountered regional opposition—complicate these talks.
 Eections are scheduled for October 2026; however, there is international and internal pressure on the current government to call snap elections.

Main Political Parties

The Israeli political system is based on proportional representation. No party is in a position to assume power independently, so political groups often co-operate and form coalition governments. The political parties represented in the Parliament are:

- Likud: national liberal party, right-wing, nationalist
- Yesh Atid (There is Future): centre, liberal
- Zionist Union: centre-left
- National Unity: a political alliance made up of the Blue and White party and the New Hope party, centrist
- Shas: zionist, populist, conservatism
- United Torah Judaism: right-wing, conservatism, religious
- Otzma Yehudit: far-right, ultra-nationalist, anti-Arab
- Yisrael Beiteinu: conservatism, nationalism
- United Arab List (Ra'am): Arab political party, it is the political wing of the Southern Branch of the Islamic movement
- Hadash-Ta'al: a joint list of the Ta'al party and Hadash political coalition, left-wing, endorses the two-state solution
- The Democrats: socail-democratic, formed by the merger of the centre-left Israeli Labor Party and the left-wing Meretz party in 2024
- Blue and White Israel Resilience Party: centrist, liberal Zionist party.

Executive Power

The President is the Head of the State and is elected by the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, for a seven-year term. His/Her role is essentially ceremonial. The President chooses the leader of the party or majority coalition in the Knesset to attempt to form a government and exercise the functions of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister does not have a fixed four-year term; the duration depends on the stability of the government, as elections may be held earlier if the Knesset is dissolved. The Prime Minister is the head of the Government and holds the executive power, including the execution of the law and the management of the country's current affairs. The Cabinet is chosen by the Prime Minister before being approved by the Knesset.

Legislative Power

Legislative power in Israel is unicameral. The Knesset (parliament) consists of 120 members, elected by universal suffrage for a four-year term. The Knesset can dissolve itself by passing a bill with a simple majority, which typically leads to early elections. A vote of no confidence, however, can result in the formation of a new government without dissolving the Knesset. The Prime Minister cannot dissolve or veto the Knesset. Israeli citizens have significant political rights, including voting rights, freedom of speech, and the ability to form political parties.

Indicator of Freedom of the Press

World Rank:

86/180

Indicator of Political Freedom

Ranking:

Free

Political Freedom:

2/7

Political freedom in the world (interactive map)
Source: Freedom in the World Report, Freedom House