Israel Election 2026: What are you voting for when you choose a party hovering at the threshold?

Four new, smaller parties are vying for votes in Israel's upcoming 26th Knesset elections on October 27, each aiming to cross the electoral threshold. These include Brig.-Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter's People of Israel, Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelekha's The Reservists-Economic Party, Moti Leitner's Haredi Public Party, and Sharren Haskel's Israel First. While Winter's party aligns with Netanyahu and the right-wing, Israel First seeks a broad Zionist government independent of Haredi or Arab parties. The Haredi Public Party challenges established Haredi parties on military service and education, with Leitner stating, "It's a Jewish, moral, conscientious, national obligation." Hendel and Zelekha's merged party emphasizes Zionism, security, and a universal conscription law. A key commonality among all four is their stance against blanket exemptions for Haredi military service.