Israel Elections 2021

The 2021 legislative elections in Israel were held on March 23, 2021, in order to elect the members of the 24th Knesset. The elections were the fourth in two years and were triggered by the dissolution of the Likud-Blue and White coalition which lasted for less than a year.

A total of 39 parties registered to run in the elections, although several dropped out shortly ahead of election day itself.

The election results saw the Likud party receive 30 seats, seven less than they had held in the 23rd Knesset, followed by Yesh Atid with 17, and then Shas with nine. Meretz, Haavodah, and Ra'am, received six, seven, and four seats respectively, despite uncertainty about whether or not any of them would pass the minimum threshold.

As leader of the largest majority, Benjamin Netanyahu was charged with forming a government by then-president Reuven Rivlin. Upon his failure to do so by the deadline, the mandate was passed onto Yair Lapid as leader of the second-largest party.

Together with Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid set out to form a wide coalition encompassing parties from the left such as Meretz and Haavodah, and the right, Yamina and New Hope. Mansour Abbas' Ra'am signed a coalition agreement with Lapid on June 2, just several hours before the deadline, making Ra'am the first Arab party to sit in government.

On June 13, 2021, the thirty-sixth government of Israel was sworn in with Naftali Bennett as Prime Minister and Yair Lapid set to take over as head of government in 2023.

Religious identity remains Israel's strongest political divide, new IDI study finds

While the relationship between religion and political affiliation remained largely stable compared to the previous election, the study identified several notable shifts between 2021 and 2022.

JUNE 29, 2026|ByLEO FEIERBERG BETTER

A voting box in the last Israeli election in 2015

Head of the left wing Meretz party Zehava Gal-On leaving after a meeting with Labor leader and Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid at Lapid's home in Tel Aviv on September 10, 2022.

New Meretz campaign video depicts violence by Netanyahu supporters

The video includes clips of violence inserted every few seconds, in between the words "this violence did not start now. It has been like this for two years, just like then."

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022|ByELIAV BREUER

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett attends a cabinet meeting, March 20, 2022.

Israel elections: Bennett is crashing in the polls

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s Yamina Party would win four seats if an election was held today, losing three seats in a span of three days.

JUNE 24, 2022|ByELIAV BREUER

Dozens of Evangelical Christians are seen attending the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast, on June 10, 2021.

Christians pledge unconditional support for Israel at prayer breakfast

Speakers call to move more embassies to Jerusalem * Rabbi: ‘We are in a crisis, at a crossroads’

JUNE 10, 2021|ByMAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMAN

Israel's election campaigns lack the big ideas of the past

The Jewish people are meant to be the people of the big ideas. Monotheism, Shabbat, Communism, Zionism are just some examples.

MARCH 19, 2021ByYAAKOV KATZ

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu votes in the September 2019 election.

Summarizing Israel's election through a song - opinion

A ‘sticker song’ that rolls campaign clichés and slogans into a dirge on our political jam.

MARCH 19, 2021ByDAVID M. WEINBERG

CAMPAIGN POSTERS adorn a wall in Tel Aviv this week.

Four elections in two years - what’s next?

MARCH 19, 2021ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Police are seen forcibly dispersing haredi protesters gathered on Jaffa Street in Jerusalem on December 22, 2020.

Why Israel’s anti-vax party is a cautionary tale

In the first quarter of 2019 alone, more than 110,000 measles cases were reported worldwide, several thousand of which were in Israel.

MARCH 18, 2021ByRUTHIE BLUM

What are the Israeli foreign policy issues for this election?

In order to take advantage of opportunities to forge a peaceful existence, improve the quality of life, open up tourism and provide employment, the state must look beyond its borders.

MARCH 18, 2021ByROEE KIBRIK

PALESTINIANS WHO work in Gush Etzion wait in line for a COVID-19 vaccine shot in Efrat last week.