Knesset

The Knesset is the legislative branch of the Israeli government. Its name, whose Hebrew translation means literally 'the gathering' or 'the assembly, is a derivative of the ancient Great Assembly,' the gathering of 120 sages that governed the Jewish people between the end of the Biblical prophets until 200 B.C. The Knesset is the national legislature of the State of Israel and passes all of the country's laws, in addition to electing the president, approving the cabinet and supervising governmental work. The Knesset functions as the unicameral national legislature in Israel in a parliamentary manner, with elections forming members of Knesset (MKs) held at least every fourth year. Knesset history The Knesset first convened on February 14th, 1949, taking over for transitional governments that had existed since Israel declared independence on May 14th, 1948, and met in the Jewish Agency building in Jerusalem. Between March and December of that year the legislature was moved to Tel Aviv, the only period the Knesset was not seated in Jerusalem. Following a four-month return to the Jewish Agency building, the Knesset moved to King George Street in the city center, where it remained until the current complex was opened in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Givat Ram, August 31st, 1966. The Knesset complex was funded by British Liberal politician James de Rothschild and has underwent two major additions, completed in 1992 and 2007. Knesset functions The Knesset sets the laws of the State of Israel and oversees governmental works via a series of 12 permanent committees, which include ones focused on foreign affairs and defense, education and culture, economics and the status of women, among others. Special committees can also be formed when necessity arises, such as the central elections committee and the public petitions committee, among others. The Knesset, as a parliamentary system, is presided over by the Speaker of Knesset and passes laws based off a simple majority of the 120-member voting bloc. Israel's prime minister, as head of the ruling party, is determined by the party best able to form a coalition comprised of at the minimum a simple majority. Knesset seats are allocated based on proportional representation using the D'Hondt method and parties are admitted to Knesset when passing an election threshold of 3.25 percent. Members of Knesset have the ability to raise a vote of no confidence in the government or in government ministers, a move that was only once successful in Knesset's history. Likewise, in order for a prime minister to be named, the candidate must receive a vote of confidence on the Knesset floor before taking office. Knesset assemblies There have been 20 assemblies of Knesset in Israel's history, each referred to by its election number. The First Knesset, under the auspices of prime minister David Ben-Gurion, was in session from 1949 until 1951. Elections occurred by and large every fourth year, unless elections were called early. However, no Knesset term lasted fewer than three years, except for the 19th Knesset, which lasted from 2013 until 2015.

Smotrich, Feiglin sign on joint run ahead of October elections, call for broad Right-wing alliance

The alliance comes ahead of the deadline for submitting party lists next week and as a group of small right-wing parties continues to fail to pass the electoral threshold in recent polling.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2026|ByKESHET NEEV, MIRIAM SELA-EITAM

Finance Minister and Religious Zionist Party head Bezalel Smotrich and right-wing politician Moshe Feiglin sign agreement for joint run in October elections, September 1, 2026.

MK Debbie Biton poses for a picture a day before the opening session of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on November 14, 2022.

Yesh Atid MKs Dvora Biton, Tatiana Mazarsky announce they will not join B’Yachad Knesset slate

Biton and Mazarsky’s decisions to seek re-election came after Yesh Atid MKs Meir Cohen and Mickey Levy confirmed on Monday that they were also not going to run with the party.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2026|ByGOLDIE KATZ

Member of Knesset Mickey Levy attends a court hearing at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem on petitions seeking to overturn the election of attorney Michael Rabello as State Comptroller, June 18, 2026.

Yesh Atid MK Levy confirms he will not be on Knesset list, says he is not leaving party

Levy also mentioned that he had met with party leader Yair Lapid, and had agreed to serve as the head of the party's court.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2026|ByTZVI JASPER

Michal Slawny Cababia is seen speaking at an event for young American Jewish community leaders and activists.

Israel must repair its ties with world Jewry by repairing itself - opinion

Anyone who cares about the future of relations between Israel and world Jewry must know that repairing those ties starts in large part with real repair at home here in Israel.

AUGUST 31, 2026|ByMICHAL SLAWNY CABABIA

Israel Election 2026: The parties, blocs and battles that will shape Israel's future - explainer

Israel’s first post-October 7 election brings shifting alliances, new political faces and an uncertain path to power

AUGUST 31, 2026ByKESHET NEEV, SHIR PERETS

Results of a Maariv poll measuring how many seats each party would receive in the October 2026 Knesset elections, results shared on August 28, 2026.

How a military record and personal grief made Netanyahu's biggest rival

Gadi Eisenkot’s military record, personal loss, and political rise have made him the strongest new challenger to Israel’s longest-serving prime minister

AUGUST 31, 2026BySHIR PERETS

Gadi Eisenkot, head of Yashar, is the main challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the upcoming October election.

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Bennett, Eisenkot draw the battle lines in race to lead Israel’s next coalition - analysis

Bennett is offering soft-right voters an alternative to Netanyahu, while Eisenkot is seeking to hold the political center while persuading right-wing voters that he is not dependent on the Left.

AUGUST 30, 2026ByANNA BARSKY

Naftali Bennett and Gadi Eisenkot at a march for conscripting haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jews into the IDF, in Jerusalem, January 15, 2026; illustrative.

Smotrich enters joint ticket talks with former Likud MK Feiglin as Likud slams Ben-Gvir

Simultaneously, tensions grew between National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and the Likud party after he announced that Otzma Yehudit would not run together with the Religious Zionist Party.

AUGUST 28, 2026ByCORINNE BAUM, ANNA BARSKY

(L-R): National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich seen in the Knesset plenum, December 29, 2022

As Winter fuels Netanyahu’s discontent, Israel's Right faces a new dilemma

POLITICAL AFFAIRS: Ofer Winter is betting Israelis want new leadership after October 7, while Netanyahu warns the new party could waste right-wing votes and weaken his bloc in the coming election.

AUGUST 28, 2026ByHERB KEINON

OFER WINTER attends the launch of the People of Israel party in Jerusalem on Tuesday. He can introduce individuals without political experience into his party because, after October 7, such candidates can say: ‘We did not create this mess. Give us a chance to clean it up.’

Winter's claimed support for Netanyahu overshadows his campaign, may siphon Likud voters - analysis

Winter is seeking to remove from the agenda the campaign portraying him as a risk to the right, as someone who could help replace Netanyahu or siphon votes away from the bloc.

AUGUST 28, 2026ByANNA BARSKY

The launch of the new Amcha Yisrael party, led by Ofer Winter, ahead of the upcoming Israeli general elections, in Jerusalem, August 25, 2026.

Ofer Winter, unification of Arab parties, shake up Knesset seats, push RZP below threshold - poll

The data shows that Winter’s entry has created greater complexity within the coalition bloc. Without him, the bloc led by Benjamin Netanyahu receives 43 seats, while with him it rises to 48 seats.

AUGUST 28, 2026ByMOSHE COHEN

The launch of the new People of Israel party, led by Ofer Winter, ahead of the upcoming Israeli general elections, in Jerusalem, August 25, 2026.

Gilad Erdan confirms talks with Benny Gantz on possible election alliance

Gantz also criticized calls to form another narrow coalition without the traditional right, arguing that both a narrow “change” government and a fully right-wing government had failed.

AUGUST 28, 2026ByYEHUDA SHLEZINGER, 103FM